A lthough it is impossible to measure with much Precision the extent of defensive medicine, the evidence summarized in Chapter 3 implies that it is neither a trivial nor a major contributor to health care costs. This chapter examines how different approaches to reforming the medical malpractice system might affect the frequency of defensive medicine. The chapter examines the potential for tort ...

Although in literature few successful claims have been shown in comparison with other medical specialties such as gynaecology and orthopaedics, vascular surgery is included among high-risk specialties. The high-risk of receiving medical claims may lead vascular surgeons to practice defensive medicine, as is normal in several other areas of clinical practice. No studies are available to our know...

This paper examines the culture of defensive medicine that has spread rapidly across the United States in response to an increase in malpractice lawsuits and staggering malpractice insurance premiums in certain high-risk medical and surgical specialties. Due to the presence of this culture, it is important to question whether tort reform (e.g. placing caps on jury awards) is necessary to curb r...