Medscape surveyed 4,151 U.S. physicians in 32 specialties nationwide between April 20 and July 18.
Six findings:
1. Seventeen percent of physicians said they would undertreat a patient’s pain because of concerns over action from their state medical board or the Drug Enforcement Administration. This figure is up from 6 percent in 2010.
2. Fifty-one percent said physicians should speak out publicly if their employers don’t provide necessary resources, such as personal protective equipment.
3. Seventy-seven percent of physicians said they would reveal a potentially harmful medical mistake to a patient.
4. About half (52 percent) said physician-assisted dying should be legal for terminally ill patients.
5. Seventy-nine percent said physicians should speak out against COVID-19 misinformation from government or elected officials.
6. Sixty-nine percent said physicians’ unprofessional social media posts are not unethical if they are unrelated to medical practice.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
