If a doctor is practicing "defensive medicine" what is likely to be his motivation for doing so?

Answer 1

A doctor practicing "defensive medicine" is trying to avoid any risk of a law suit for malpractice. This can lead to ordering "ETKTM" [every test known to man] to make sure no stone has been left unturned. A malpractice lawyer has trouble finding fault if a physician has looked into every possibility. It is difficult for a lawyer to show negligence if every possible test has been done.
An example might be ordering a CT scan of the brain or an MRI for every case of head trauma no matter how insignificant it may seem. This is a exaggeration of course, but extra tests ordered to protect oneself from any chance of lawsuits does tend to drive up the cost of medical care. Of course the cost of malpractice insurance also greatly increases the cost of medical care.
MD answer

Added personal note: I was fortunate to never have a malpractice suit in my 20 years as a practicing physician, but many very good doctors have been raked over the coals by these suits often with little justification. The trouble is that there are some cases that are truly related to negligence and those people should be compensated. Still, I've never quite understood how a lot of money awarded to a family can make up for the death of a loved one.

Answer 2

It's a more complicated phenomenon than it appears. We all have a level of risk with which we're comfortable, and that's a very individual matter. I've always felt my job was to worry about the patient, not myself, so I've generally avoided the "Doctrine of Uranus" (i.e, above all else, cover your butt). Considering the number of tests that lead to more tests, and even surgery, we certainly don't do the patients any favors in practicing too defensively. I've spent enough of my practice life in some sort of supervisory role to think that often it's more a manifestation of a lack of self-confidence, which is in turn often well-founded.

Answer 3

Preventing lawsuits.
But really practicing good medicine is the best defensive medicine.

Answer 4

perhaps this is the same as preventive medicine which focuses on healthy living to prevent disease. the motivation is a desire to help people do the right things in their lives so they don't get sick in the first place. also it's a lot more cost-effective to get people to lose weight, stop smoking, lower their cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar thru diet and exercise than to treat heart and lung disease and diabetes.

would you rather have a heart attack and have to have angioplasty (or bypass surgery) or avoid atheroschlerosis altogether?

Answer 5

Maybe he gets beaten alot