Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Defensive medicine
Introduction
Defensive Medicine is the Diagnostic or therapeutic measures conducted primarily as a safeguard against possible malpractice liability. Fear of litigation has been cited [1] as the driving force behind defensive medicine.
Defensive medicine takes two main forms, assurance behavior, and avoidance behavior. Assurance behavior involves the charging of additional, unnecessary services in order to a) reduce adverse outcomes, b) deter patients for filing malpractice claims, or c) provide grounds that the standard of care was met, if the legal system is involved. Avoidance behavior is when providers refuse to participate in high risk procedures or circumstances.