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Originally Posted by serenityseeker
Couldn't agree more. It simply becomes a theatrical contest between sides, and the attitude in today's society is "somebodies gonna pay" regardless of whether any real malpractice occured or not. Whoever puts on the best show wins.
Lawyers know this and manipulate the system, even making good living on lawsuits without merit, because the insurance companies and the lawyers all know it is cheaper to give up a settlement than to fight in court. It is a sickening game in a perverted system and there is no end in sight. Without meaningful change there is no hope of improving the healthcare system.
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Unfortunately this is change you can't believe in.... lawyers control Congress.
The notion that "if we all were like Marcus Welby" malpractice would no longer be a problem is completely foolish. The highest claims in malpractice are in neurosurgery, orthopedics and OB-GYN--the surgical specialties. Orthopods and neurosurgeons often have their first contact with a pt in a trauma setting, the pt is busted in pieces and unconscious. The patients only concern should be the technical competence of the surgeon. That aside, there is good data to support the notion that pts who "like" their doctors are
less likely to sue. The multimillion dollar lawsuits that hit neurosurgeons and the other surgical specialties are unlikely to be mitigated by a Marcus Welby personna ( a fictitious TV creation). BTW, I grew up in the 50's. My family doc didn't take appts... first come, first serve... waiting room often spilling out into the streets.... lots of penicillin shots... ave time face to face with the doc--- I recall about 1-2 minutes....not the TV image of the paternal Marcus Welby siting down for a casual hand holding chat... not sure if he was ever sued back then... it wasn't part of the culture. Now that is the culture.