How Doctors Are Hurting Medicine

As the healthcare industry becomes plagued with lawsuits and high medical malpractice insurance premiums, doctors are responding in negative ways that are detrimental to patients. Medical malpractice law is a system meant to assist patients in receiving compensation for iatrogenic injuries by punishing negligent doctors. Unfortunately, however, both good and bad doctors are feeling threatened by litigation, and not all doctors are reacting in ways that are beneficial to healthcare. The result is a complicated battle in which patients are the victims.

An underlying problem is the disgusting fact that in the medical field, doctors are not always honest with their patients. In a study done by Berkley Rice, thirty-five percent of doctors surveyed admitted they would not disclose a mistake to a patient if that mistake did not create a serious problem, or if they could otherwise "get away with it". Six percent of the so-called "professionals" surveyed said they would not admit their mistake even if it would have a negative impact or possible injury to the patient (Rice). In an industry plagued with lawsuits, one would hope doctors would be honest, "face the music" and apologize, which in fact may deter a lawsuit in some circumstances.

Astronomical increases in medical malpractice insurance are contributing to a healthcare crisis and a heated response from doctors. Mona Charen explains in "The Overtreated American" that increases occur even when the accused doctor was not involved in the incident, or when the case was dismissed due to lack of merit (Charen 659). In cases that actually go to court, only 18% are actually won by the Plaintiff, and juries award injuries in disproportionately large amounts. According to Jury Verdict Research, half of the awards from 1994 to 2000 were $500,000 or more (Norland). The result is that eighty-two percent of claimants are not awarded compensation, and doctors are being punished for errors they did not make.