Letters.

Society Pays for Malpractice

Much has been written recently about medical malpractice, but there has been little written about its impact on physicians as individuals.

An admirable physician strives for perfection, seeks and accepts responsibility, and is willing to sacrifice. These same traits make us uniquely vulnerable to the stress of malpractice litigation. An attack against our medical care oftentimes is seen as an attack on our identity.

A medical malpractice case doesn't simply question our care, it assails us. It leads to shock, distress, shame, and depression. We doubt our medical abilities. The secrecy or infamy isolates us from our family, friends, and colleagues.

The lawsuits create shortages of physicians, as those sued are more likely to stop seeing certain types of patients, retire early, and discourage their children from following in their footsteps. Lawsuits lead to defensive physician-patient relationships, impaired decision making, and burnout. This puts us at increased risk, as burned out physicians are even more likely to be sued again.

Patients need to be made aware of the effect on physicians and the health care system while seeking their "jackpot justice."

Patricia Raymond, M.D.