Defensive medicine and the influence of litigation on doctors

Česká verze

Authors: Z. Adamová ¹; H. Adamová ²
Authors place of work: Ústav práva a humanitních věd Provozně ekonomické fakulty Mendelovy univerzity v Brně ; Chirurgické oddělení, Vsetínská nemocnice, a. s. ; Chirurgické oddělení, Nemocnice ve Frýdku-Místku ¹; Nejvyšší soud ČR ²
Published in the journal: Rozhl. Chir., 2022, roč. 101, č. 6, s. 260-264.
Category: Souhrnné sdělení
doi: https://doi.org/10.33699/PIS.2022.101.6.260–264

Summary

The term defensive medicine is used to describe the behavior of healthcare providers motivated by fear of litigation due to malpractice. It includes both avoidance behavior when the physician is unwilling to perform high risk procedures, as well as excessive ordering of extra tests and procedures. This leads to unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic interventions which may be invasive and costly. Additionally, such a setting causes harms the patient-doctor relationship. A more specific legal framework, developed with respect to the innate nature of medicine, may improve the situation.

Keywords:

legislation – defensive medicine – economics in medicine

Zdroje

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