More tidbits from the ATLA president. The ignorance is worse than I thought:
And you talk about defensive medicine; one of the things that astonishes me is the extent to which people — and, unfortunately, the press — are willing to buy into these wild statement that are made. Have you ever gone to your doctor and had your doctor say, ‘You know, there’s a test that I probably ought to give you. I don’t think it’s necessary, but I’m afraid you’ll sue me if I don’t?’ And do you know anybody whose doctor has ever said anything like that to them? Or do you know anybody whose doctor has ever given them an unnecessary test?
Granted, defensive medicine is uncommonly phrased like that, although it does happen. Often, defensive tests are phrased like this: “I don’t think that your headache is anything to worry about, but ‘just to be on the safe side’ (or ‘just to be complete’, or ‘just so we’re not missing anything’), let’s do a CT scan to rule out a tumor.” Patients will then be appreciative your thoroughness and completeness. It’s really quite a positive-reinforcing phenomenon.
Mr. Suggs, there is an open invitation for you to read this blog. Open your eyes to reality, and perhaps you’ll sound less foolish in the future.
