Docs say lawsuit fears drive defensive testing

More than nine out of 10 physicians believe concerns over malpractice lawsuits result in "defensive medicine," ordering more tests and procedures than necessary as a protective measure, according to a survey by Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

The survey, which questioned 2,416 physicians, was published in the June 28 edition of Archives of Internal Medicine.

A majority of physicians, 90.7 percent, also believe that better protections against unwarranted malpractice suits are needed in order to decrease the ordering of unnecessary medical tests.