4 ms·

What parts are left uncovered by the malpractice system?

• maxerickson 9y ago
  How does malpractice address things like unnecessary tests? They generally aren't medically harmful, but it sort of sucks for most people to spend money that doesn't need to be spent.
  • Ntrails 9y ago
    If it's possible that failure to perform a test which is probably not going to helpful has a large downside for the doctor, and performing it has only got downside for the patient - you'll end up with incentives which clearly dictate excessive testing.
    • ehnto 9y ago
      Test Driven Doctoring? Or perhaps they are practicing Defensive Doctoring.
  • ehnto 9y ago
    Interesting anecdote. My country has public healthcare but you do have to be registered and present a card for it. I didn't have my card once, and the doctor was preparing me for a test when he read on my appointment sheet that I wasn't covered by public health care for that appointment. So he said don't worry about the tests, they are very expensive and I am pretty sure you are fine. Did the doctor's incentive to run the test when he thought the government was paying lie in the interest of me, the company who does the tests, or the government who wants a healthy populace? It's hard to know. But I will be honest and say that as I'm paying for just a fraction of it with my taxes, I actually don't mind and if they are being thorough even for the benefit of some medical company's coffer, at least the country can afford to be thorough.
  • DanBC 9y ago
    > They generally aren't medically harmful Over testing is harmful, especially when it causes over diagnosis and over treatment. People die from this.