Comments on: Can you reform health care before reforming malpractice? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:15:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74785 Mike Tue, 08 May 2007 18:57:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74785 This nurse asked about why the variance between doctors' practice.<br/><br/>Hey nurse, some physicians are just more confident in their decision making than others. Each patient looks different. Its a clinical decision. <br/><br/>So just get a hold of yourself and when you get a medical degree, THEN you can bitch. This nurse asked about why the variance between doctors’ practice.

Hey nurse, some physicians are just more confident in their decision making than others. Each patient looks different. Its a clinical decision.

So just get a hold of yourself and when you get a medical degree, THEN you can bitch.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74776 Anonymous Tue, 08 May 2007 15:50:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74776 Shouldn't the people like Kevin who are advocating policy changes based on the theory that defensive medicine DOES reduce the number of lawsuits won by plaintiffs or filed have the burden? Shouldn’t the people like Kevin who are advocating policy changes based on the theory that defensive medicine DOES reduce the number of lawsuits won by plaintiffs or filed have the burden?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74770 Anonymous Tue, 08 May 2007 14:46:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74770 Speaking of facts Elliot i am still waiting:<br/><br/>re: Let me repeat that very loudly, THERE IS NO CORRELATION BETWEEN PRACTICING DEFENSIVE MEDICINE AND AVOIDING LAWSUITS.<br/><br/>Please show peer-reviewed studies/links that suuport this statement from reputable medical journals Speaking of facts Elliot i am still waiting:

re: Let me repeat that very loudly, THERE IS NO CORRELATION BETWEEN PRACTICING DEFENSIVE MEDICINE AND AVOIDING LAWSUITS.

Please show peer-reviewed studies/links that suuport this statement from reputable medical journals

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74764 Anonymous Tue, 08 May 2007 14:09:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74764 Kevin, why do you "suspect" not? Just a guess, or based on a systematic review of cases?<br/><br/>How do you reach conclusions without any facts? Why do you believe everyone else is so ignorant? Kevin, why do you “suspect” not? Just a guess, or based on a systematic review of cases?

How do you reach conclusions without any facts? Why do you believe everyone else is so ignorant?

]]> By: Kevin http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74761 Kevin Tue, 08 May 2007 14:04:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74761 Elliott,<br/>What you are saying about excessive testing is correct, and I agree with you. However, our opinions don't matter in court.<br/><br/>Will a layperson jury have that insight about excessive testing? With the common perception that "more testing = better medicine", I suspect not.<br/><br/>Kevin Elliott,
What you are saying about excessive testing is correct, and I agree with you. However, our opinions don’t matter in court.

Will a layperson jury have that insight about excessive testing? With the common perception that “more testing = better medicine”, I suspect not.

Kevin

]]> By: Elliott http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74760 Elliott Tue, 08 May 2007 13:51:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74760 Other factors include the fact that a battery of tests (with associated costs and inconvenience) suggest a level of control over disease/disability by the physician that does not actually exist. That leads to malpractice suits when the bad outcomes happen. It also implies that every test is read and interpreted properly. More tests can easily lead to more ambiguity and risk not less so your assertion that it is much easier to defend is not based on anything more than a "plausible narrative based on personal anecdote." Other factors include the fact that a battery of tests (with associated costs and inconvenience) suggest a level of control over disease/disability by the physician that does not actually exist. That leads to malpractice suits when the bad outcomes happen. It also implies that every test is read and interpreted properly. More tests can easily lead to more ambiguity and risk not less so your assertion that it is much easier to defend is not based on anything more than a “plausible narrative based on personal anecdote.”

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74755 Anonymous Tue, 08 May 2007 11:19:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74755 You're also assuming that the defensive tests involved carry zero risk of injury/harm to the patient. If you're ordering a surgical biopsy even though you don't actually suspect malignancy, there's still risk involved. Can't you just document that you've explained to the patient the tests aren't needed but provided a means to them IF the patient wishes to proceed? You’re also assuming that the defensive tests involved carry zero risk of injury/harm to the patient. If you’re ordering a surgical biopsy even though you don’t actually suspect malignancy, there’s still risk involved. Can’t you just document that you’ve explained to the patient the tests aren’t needed but provided a means to them IF the patient wishes to proceed?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74729 Anonymous Mon, 07 May 2007 22:50:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74729 Wait, don't doctors have to decide what "reforming health care" means before they can decide any other steps? Wait, don’t doctors have to decide what “reforming health care” means before they can decide any other steps?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74726 Anonymous Mon, 07 May 2007 22:05:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74726 Kevin,<br/><br/>What evidence is there to support your claim? In fact, given your arguments that there is too much litigation, and too much defensive medicine, it would seem that defensive medicine does no good at all. Kevin,

What evidence is there to support your claim? In fact, given your arguments that there is too much litigation, and too much defensive medicine, it would seem that defensive medicine does no good at all.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before.html/comment-page-1#comment-74720 Anonymous Mon, 07 May 2007 21:20:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/can-you-reform-health-care-before-reforming-malpractice.html#comment-74720 Does that matter? The real question is whether there is a correlation between ordering more tests and winning the lawsuit so you don't have verdicts against you. Does that matter? The real question is whether there is a correlation between ordering more tests and winning the lawsuit so you don’t have verdicts against you.

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