Imaging tests such as MRIs and X-rays frequently are performed so that doctors can protect themselves from lawsuits, according to a new study.
A review of 2,068 orthopedic patients throughout Pennsylvania showed that almost 35 percent of the imaging costs were ordered for “defensive” purposes, researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reported Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Diego.
Medical malpractice lawsuits often hinge on charges the doctor should have ordered more tests, said the study’s lead author, Dr. John Flynn.
The study involved 72 doctors who voluntarily participated. Overall, 19 percent of the tests were ordered for defensive purposes.
Defensive medicine is not unique to orthopedics. A 2005 study of 824 doctors in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that almost 93 percent said they practiced defensive medicine. It’s time for the nation to quantify how much of annual health care expenses are “wasted” on defensive medicine, Flynn said.
