More than 40 percent of primary care physicians in the United States think their patients are receiving too much care, and 76 percent of those respondents said malpractice concerns played a role, according to a new report from the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Along with malpractice risks, physicians also cited clinical performance measures, inadequate time with patients and financial incentives for aggressive practice. For instance, 62 percent of physicians said diagnostic testing would be reduced if it did not generate revenue for medical subspecialists.
Physicians also expressed inconsistency in their delivery of care: Ninety-five percent believe physicians vary in what care they would provide for identical patients.
More than 75 percent of physicians expressed interest in learning how aggressive their practice style is compared to that of other physicians in their community, which suggests they may be receptive to change, according to the report.
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