Physicians across the US are speaking out on Sermo (http://www.sermo.com), the largest online physician community, discussing the President’s newly announced support for malpractice reform. According to a new survey conducted on Sermo of 3,102 US physicians, 87% stated they are more inclined to support a healthcare reform bill that includes malpractice reform.
94% of physicians who responded say defensive medicine has led them to order tests or procedures that they did not believe were medically necessary. One of the many physician respondents on Sermo said, “I practice defensive medicine every day. Every single day. And I know it. And the only apology/explanation I make for it is that I do it because I have to. I have to. To NOT practice defensive medicine in our current tort climate is to risk licensure, and career, every single day.”
Specifically, when asked what meaningful malpractice reform would mean: