The influence of fears of perceived legal consequences on general practitioners' practice in relation to defensive medicine - a cross-sectional survey in Germany.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Medical decisions are influenced by a variety of factors also by legal requirements and feelings of uncertainty, which results in the term defensive medicine. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of fears of perceived legal consequences on the practice of defensive medicine from the perspective of German general practitioners (GPs).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed from April to May 2022. GPs were invited via an e-mail newsletter of the Institute for Continuing Education in Family Medicine in the German Association of General Practitioners and via an online platform of the German College of General Practitioners and Family Physicians. The evaluation of legal fears, the general assessment of defensive medicine and reasons for and the freq

SUBMITTER: Goetz K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10785451 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature