If physicians did not have to worry so much about being sued, we would not have to order so many tests, decreasing the overall cost of medical care. Additionally, physicians would not have to maintain extra staff to process the extra paperwork required and could carry lower insurance premiums...

...As for this new doc, I practice defensive medicine, but I´m taking a stand. I refuse to let fear of lawsuits dictate the way I practice. I will order what tests I feel are appropriate and treat my patients with top quality medical care. If I get sued, so be it.

What are your thoughts on this Litigious Society and its effect on medical practice?

I agree with you. You should not practice "CYA" medicine. It is time consuming and exhausts needed resources. Additionally, it can be a double edged sword setting a precedence for your practice pattern, i.e. if all of a sudden if you didn't order that MRI for the soft tissue lesion that you knew was a plantar fibroma and you typically order this study, you could appear to a jury that you deviated from your own standard of care. This, of course, is only a problem if the lesion is later to be found malignant. Practice decisions should be supported with evidence based medicine which statistically analyzes the best protocol for diagnosis of diseases and what treatment generates best outcomes. Medical literature and the locality of practice will dictate standard of care. In medicine, complications are not desirable but are a fact of practicing medicine and surgery. If you have data to support your case, it is unlikely you will be faulted for anything tangible. "In God we trust, others must present data"