Do you ever order diagnostic tests or scans to protect yourself from malpractice suits rather than because they are medically necessary?

Previous studies have indicated that physicians often practice “defensive medicine,” ordering medical tests or scans for patients even though they know that these tests or scans probably won’t provide any clinically useful information. For example, it has been suggested that many bone scans are ordered inappropriately for patients with low-risk prostate cancer who are very unlikely to have bone metastases. One possible reason for this is that the ordering physicians want to protect themselves should they be sued for malpractice for missing metastatic disease.

Renal & Urology News would like to get an idea of what proportion of physicians order tests and scans just to protect themselves in case of a lawsuit, so we invite you to our poll question.

Do you ever order diagnostic tests or scans to protect yourself from malpractice suits rather than because they are medically necessary?

Leave a comment below on why you chose your answer. If your answer doesn’t match one of our choices, please let us know why.

From the February 01, 2012 Issue of Renal and Urology News