One of the common ways that doctors and physicians are reacting against medical malpractice lawsuits is by practicing something known as defensive medicine. Defensive medicine is what happens what doctors will order excessive testing and preventative care in order to cover themselves in the event that something goes wrong. Not only does defensive medicine lay much of the cost on the patient and their insurance, but there is more and more evidence indicating that defensive medicine does not do much to prevent medical malpractice.

Defensive Medicine Is Becoming a Medical Trend

One poll estimates that 26% of total healthcare costs go to the practice of defensive medicine, with 75% of doctors admitting to practicing some form of defensive medicine in the last year alone. Doctors admit to running unnecessary tests, sending patients to referrals, and prescribing medication in an attempt to prevent being sued.

Another study examined emergency rooms in Texas, South Carolina, and Georgia. These states have medical malpractice lawsuit laws that make it harder for patients to show that their doctor was medically negligent in their care. By making it harder for patients to prove medical negligence, these states thought that doctors would be less likely to run unnecessary tests and healthcare costs would decrease. The study noted that even with a harder threshold for medical malpractice, doctors practiced defensive medicine at the same rate.

What these studies suggest is that defensive medicine is becoming a larger medical trend, not one that can be glossed over by protecting doctors from medical malpractice lawsuits. Doctors may be covering their bases, not only for fear of being sued, but for a further understanding of wellness and disease.

With medical malpractice reform a hot-button topic in light of the recent election, these studies suggest that medical malpractice reform may have less of an impact on healthcare costs than may be expected.

Just because a doctor practices defensive medicine does not mean that they cannot be held liable for medical malpractice. If you or a loved one have received medical attention from a doctor that did not act in your best interests, contact a medical malpractice lawyer to get moving on your case today.