Testing Patients for CYA
FYI: I received the following email from a physician active in local politics in response to a post on the increase in hospital patient testing ordered by doctors.
"The climate of defensive medicine has imposed huge costs on our health care system.
"Most of these tests are done to protect ourselves (doctors) against potential legal actions, since we stand exposed to the casuistry (sic) of specious assertions.
"There is little defense against the (lawyer's) contention: “Doctor, you did not order this $200 test and now my client lies crippled.”
"We practitioners know full well that many tests yield negligible clinical information but could result in a favorable verdict contesting the attestations of a hostile expert intent on later misconstruing facts.
"Since we doctors and hospitals labor in an imperfect science and have virtually all suffered acrimonious verbal assaults from a self-enriching tort system, there should be little wonder that we have gone to great lengths to defend ourselves.
"The lifting of this burden would generate considerable cost savings."
My Response:
Clearly the trends below suggest my doctor friend ain't whistling dixie.
However....
What's up with the Docs' brand of “Defensive Medicine” at Broward's private hospitals?
Laboratory Tests Vs. Surgical Procedures
2000 2009 Change
Broward Health
Lab Tests 2,128,063 3,604,427 69%
Operations 27,159 30,358 12%
Ratio 78 to 1 119 to 1
Mem. Healthcare
Lab Tests 1,891,513 3,457,225 83%
Operations 25,294 35,514 40%
Ratio 75 to 1 97 to 1
Private Hospitals
Lab Tests 3,204,532 3,995,672 25%
Operations 59,461 45,899 (23%)
Ratio 54 to 1 87 to 1
Source: Broward Regional Health Planning Council
Tomorrow: Trends in CT Scans
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