Defensive medicine: it is time to finally slow down an epidemic. | AHRQ Patient Safety Network

Defensive medicine: it is time to finally slow down an epidemic. | AHRQ Patient Safety Network

• Commentary
 
• Published October 2018

Defensive medicine: it is time to finally slow down an epidemic.

Vento S, Cainelli F, Vallone A. World J Clin Cases. 2018;6:406-409.

Malpractice concerns can influence treatment decisions as clinicians seek to avoid errors of omission. This commentary reviews factors that contribute to defensive medicine, underscores the role the blame culture has in perpetuating this behavior, and discusses the costs to patients, physicians, and health systems.

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