Defensive medicine in Czech surgical departments
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F62156489%3A43110%2F25%3A43927064" target="_blank" >RIV/62156489:43110/25:43927064 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/00216224:14220/25:00141257
Result on the web
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10353-025-00873-2" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1007/s10353-025-00873-2</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10353-025-00873-2" target="_blank" >10.1007/s10353-025-00873-2</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Defensive medicine in Czech surgical departments
Original language description
Background: Defensive medicine is a growing concern in modern healthcare, driven by physicians' fear of litigation. It involves unnecessary tests and procedures and avoidance of high-risk treatments. These practices increase healthcare costs, limit patient access to necessary care, and negatively impact the physician-patient relationship. Additionally, defensive medicine contributes to physician stress and dissatisfaction, thereby potentially reducing the attractiveness of the medical profession. Methods: This survey explores the prevalence of defensive medicine in Czech surgical departments through a survey conducted among 31 surgeons in two county hospitals. Results: The results confirm that all respondents engage in some form of defensive medical practice. Notably, 17% of radiological examinations were performed for assurance rather than medical necessity. A hypothetical case study demonstrated that knowledge of a patient's history of litigation significantly increased the likelihood of additional defensively motivated tests. Conclusion: Defensive medicine is a complex issue that requires cooperation between healthcare providers, legal professionals, policymakers, and medical organizations. We discuss different approaches to addressing defensive medicine. This includes the implementation of evidence-based clinical guidelines, improvements in physician-patient communication, and reforms in legal and regulatory frameworks. The main novel aspect of this article is that it brings attention to a widely overlooked issue in surgical literature and also proposes potential solutions.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
30502 - Other medical science
Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
European Surgery
ISSN
1682-8631
e-ISSN
1682-4016
Volume of the periodical
57
Issue of the periodical within the volume
4
Country of publishing house
AT - AUSTRIA
Number of pages
5
Pages from-to
158-162
UT code for WoS article
001477686900001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105003749374