What If We Couldn & #039;t Sue Our Doctors for Malpractice?

During childbirth, are doctors more likely or less likely to intervene surgically if liability is a concern? A study co-authored by an economist at Massachusetts of Technology (MIT) and a professor of law and economics at the Duke University, offers insight on this interesting question about "defensive medicine." The research, based on evidence from the U.S. Military Health System, finds that when doctors have immunity from liability lawsuits, they actually perform slightly more C-section operations, compared to when they are legally liable for those operations — about 4% more, over a 10-year period. “When you’re worried about errors of commission, defensive medicine can lead to [less] treatment of patients,” said Jonathan Gruber, an MIT economist and co-author of a new paper detailing the study’s findings. The paper, “Defensive Medicine and Obstetric Practices: Evidence from the Military Health System,” is published this month in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies. Gruber's co-author is Michael Frakes, a professor of law and economics at the Duke University School of Law. According to the paper, 74% of obstetricians and gynecologists face malpractice claims by age 45, compared to 55% of physicians in the area of internal medicine. To conduct the study, Gruber and Frakes used Military Heal...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: Business Source Type: news