Defensive medicine: Sword of Damocles

Defensive medicine is the deliberate departure by doctors from standard operating procedures with a view to safeguard themselves against possible medical malpractice litigation. It is on the rise in both developed and developing nations and across all fields of medicine. Different aspects of this pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The National medical journal of India 2018-11, Vol.31 (6), p.364-365
Main Authors: Dudeja, Sankalp, Dhirar, Nonita
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Antibiotics
Defensive medicine
Evidence-based medicine
Family physicians
Health care expenditures
Health care policy
Litigation
Malpractice
Medical care quality
Medical malpractice
Medical referrals
Medicine
Patients
Physicians
Professionals
Surgeons
Torts
Trauma
Violence
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Summary:Defensive medicine is the deliberate departure by doctors from standard operating procedures with a view to safeguard themselves against possible medical malpractice litigation. It is on the rise in both developed and developing nations and across all fields of medicine. Different aspects of this practice are evident and many new are unfolding by the day. It is silently encroaching on the healthcare systems and could be detrimental for patients, doctors and healthcare systems. We probe the determinants of defensive medicine, the possible implications and the recommendations for addressing it.
ISSN:0970-258X
0970-258X
DOI:10.4103/0970-258x.262898