How radiologists describe finding breast cancer in mammograms. Malpractice fears are killing this field. Patients lose again:
In short, radiologists are afraid of being sued, and there’s evidence that they have more reason to worry than providers in other areas of medicine.Missed breast cancer is the most common basis for medical malpractice lawsuits in the United States, according to the Physician Insurers Association of America, a trade group of medical malpractice insurance carriers.
And it’s among the most expensive kind of malpractice cases. In a seven-year period ending in 2002, PIAA members spent almost $200 million on breast cancer malpractice cases. That was $30 million more than was spent during the previous six years.
But, experts say, the problem is not inept radiologists, although there are certainly some of those.
Instead, the problem is a misconception about the effectiveness of mammography.
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{ 3 comments }
n a seven-year period ending in 2002, PIAA members spent almost $200 million on breast cancer malpractice cases. That was $30 million more than was spent during the previous six years.
THat’s good then, isn’t it? They spent (200-30)/6 = $28M a year from 1989-1995 and then 200/7 = $28M from 1995-2002.
Plus they are missing out on inflation, making the previous number even better, probably by about 10%. So malpractice costs have gone down?
The point is – there are far fewer radiologists reading mammograms out there and given the aging population, more radiologists are needed.
In my very congested area of practice, where there are like 500 doctors in all subspecialties within a mile radius, across the street from a medium-sized (300-bed) community hospital, NO private radiology facility will do mammograms – they always advise me to send patients for screening mammos to the hospital radiology dept.
there, the wait is 6 months unless i call and whine on the phone.
i think the solution has to be increased reimbursements (i’ve heard they get something like $30 to read a mammogram, still not too different from a follow-up office visit for me, but i think most’d agree it’s still low)
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