A survey suggests that the public thinks so:
About 52% of respondents said physicians overtreat patients because of concerns about medical malpractice lawsuits, 45% said “to make more money” and 44% said “to meet patient demands,” the survey found.
My quick estimates of the reasons why physicians overorder tests would be 70-80% due to defensive medicine, 20-30% due to patient demand – although there is overlap here with defensive medicine – and 5-15% because of financial incentive. (via The Antidote)
Related posts:
- Female physicians and the Canadian doctor shortage
- An apology bill is debated in Nevada
- Why doctors order so many tests
- Pharmacogenomics: "Physicians are the sitting ducks in this new class of litigation"
- Physicians don’t trust the malpractice system and why doctors order too many tests
- Are emergency physicians best served to staff urgent care centers?
- Some lawyers say defensive medicine isn’t real, but this doctor shows us otherwise
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Kevin, thanks for the acknowledgment. I hope your readers will check out the wonderful comment that was left by Diora on the related post on my blog: http://health-counterspin.blogspot.com/2007/03/its-not-just-me.html
I think this person is my next guest blogger!
Just 5-15% because of the financial incentive? Who is kidding who, Kevin?
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