Younger Physicians More Likely to be Trained in Defensive Medicine

A new survey suggests defensive medicine — ordering unnecessary tests for fear of lawsuits — may become more common because younger physicians are more likely to have picked it up in training, according to release by Jackson Healthcare.

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The survey, conducted by Jackson Healthcare, shows that the younger the physician is, the more likely he or she is to have learned defensive medicine from mentors in medical school or residency.

Jackson Healthcare, a physician staffing and hospital management company, reported the following percentages of physician age groups said they learned defensive medicine in training:
83 percent of ages 25-34
63 percent of ages of 35-44
47 percent of ages 45-54
32 percent of ages 55-64
19 percent of ages 65 and older

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons estimates that defensive medicine costs $100 billion to $178 billion per year.

Read Jackson Healthcare’s report on defensive medicine.

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