How do legal cases affect doctors and what implication for patients? Here’s the info
A survey that was conducted in the UK is perhaps indicative of what happens to doctors the world over once they are faced with legal cases.
The survey reveals that patient complaints made against physicians and the resultant review process will have a serious effect on the doctor’s long-term psychological well-being. It could also lead to practicing defensive medicine.
The study was led by Tom Bourne, MD, PhD of the Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College,London. It analysed the responses to qualitative questions. Almost 8000 physicians partook in the survey.
While 16.9% of the physicians who faced complaints experienced depression moderate to severe in intensity, 15% reported moderate anxiety and 7.3% severe anxiety.
The present analysis shows that it’s usual for physicians subjected to complaints to feel powerless and emotionally distressed. 45% of them reported negative feelings towards both who manage the complaints as well as the complainants themselves.
Prolonged duration and unpredictability of complaint the most stressful part
As per the survey results, the most stressful part was the prolonged duration and unpredictability of the complaint. Some of the physicians believed that the process was biased to favor the complainants. This made them change the way they practice medicine.
The larger number of respondents believed that the complaints process needs to be more transparent as well as better managed. Also, the time taken to process the complaint must be limited. Based on their findings, the authors of the study suggest major changes in the system “that the evidence suggests is both unnecessarily confrontational and damaging to all parties.”
Three quantitative items were analyzed to judge how the complaints process affects the physicians. They were:
- A summary of the experience of the complaints process and how it made the doctors feel
- Most stressful aspects of the complaint
- Things they would like to improve in the complaints system
The overall survey attracted 10,930 responses. Out of these, 6146 cited a previous, recent or current complaint. Among them 31.3% responded to items 1 and 2 while 93 respondents answered item 3.
After drawing out 100 sets of responses, four negative themes about the experience with a complaint were identified. These included feelings of impotence, powerlessness and helplessness (45 physicians), negative feelings toward the complainant or those managing the complaint(48 physicians), emotional distress(42 physicians) and negative feelings toward the self(22 physicians)
26 physicians said the complaint led to changes in their professional/personal life. 10 physicians said that it had an impact on their career while 13 admitted subsequent defensive practice or poorer medicine.
Open discussion with complainants,more support for physicians called for
Of the 93 respondents to item 3, 41 called for greater transparency, neutrality and also more efficient use of time in complaints procedures. 23 physicians asked for improved open dialogue with patients as well as supervising bodies. 11 mentioned that an open and less formal approach was what was called for.
While 14 respondents favored the idea of more support for physicians during the process, 27 said a policy should be in place to deal with vexatious and baseless complaints.
Image credits: scroll.in
Images may be indicative