Historically, physicians have enjoyed a degree of professional independence. However, that has shifted in recent decades as big businesses have dominated the medical sector.
A large percentage of successful medical doctors now work as employees rather than as professionals running their own practices. Having the oversight of an employer does not necessarily improve the standard of care that a physician provides. In fact, sometimes the pressure of employer demands can increase the likelihood of a professional making a serious, preventable mistake.
How can employers contribute to the risk of diagnostic errors in this way?
Doctors don’t have time to prioritize each patient
Hospitals and medical businesses value efficiency. To justify the wages they provide physicians, they demand that professionals put in long hours and see numerous patients per day. They also have to maintain patient chart records.
The average primary care physician may see 20 patients per shift. They may not have much time to review a patient’s chart records and discuss the matter in depth with the individual. Instead, they make rush to conclusions or may dismiss a patient’s self-reported symptoms instead of exploring the situation thoroughly.
The need to get from one patient to the next quickly can diminish the level of attention and curiosity that a physician brings to each patient encounter. Ultimately, patients may suffer medical setbacks when the doctors providing their care most prioritize speed and efficiency over accuracy and thoroughness.
Reviewing medical records with a skilled legal team – to help establish that another reasonable physician could have diagnosed a patient accurately – could provide the basis for medical malpractice litigation. Patients questioning a doctor’s professional decisions may need help building a case and seeking compensation after receiving questionable medical care, and that’s okay.