Professor awarded $1.2 million NIH grant to study malpractice and 'defensive medicine'

(Northwestern University) What happens to the quality of care delivered when physicians face no threat of malpractice? Does the presence of malpractice pressure lead to 'defensive medicine' -- the delivery of tests or treatments that may not necessarily be in the best interest of the patient but can serve to shield the physician from threats of liability? These questions directly address two important aspects of the US health care system -- quality of care and cost of treatment.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news