Radiologist suggests 3 ways to avoid ‘malpractice stress syndrome’
A Yale Medicine radiologist is offering colleagues three suggestions to avoid suffering from “malpractice stress syndrome.”
Jonathan L. Mezrich, MD, JD, MBA, an emergency imaging specialist, detailed his advice Wednesday in the American Journal of Roentgenology. He noted that upward of 90% of rads will be sued at least once by age 65, according to previous research. Members of the specialty may spend average of 10% of their careers with open malpractice claims, according to another study.
This constant concern about litigation can eventually take a toll on radiologists in the form of malpractice stress syndrome, or MMSS.
“A physician with MMSS experiences severe stress and emotional turmoil as a consequence of being sued or dealing with protracted litigation,” Mezrich wrote June 18. “Although not specifically delineated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders … MMSS shares many overlapping symptoms with post-traumatic stress disorder and indeed has been described as a forme fruste of PTSD.”
Mezrich detailed some of the telltale signs of MMSS, which can be emotional (anxiety, depression, shame and anger), behavioral (second-guessing decisions, slower to issue reports, losing confidence in decision-making), or even physical (insomnia, ulcers, or heart problems).
He offered three possible solutions for radiologists who are facing litigation and might be in danger of malpractice stress syndrome:
1. Know the process: Mezrich encouraged radiology practices to educate their physicians about the malpractice process and what to expect when sued.
“Radiologists should receive more robust education regarding malpractice law and potential consequences,” he urged. “Additionally, radiologists must be proactive in engaging with the available medicolegal literature and attending relevant lectures at professional society meetings. Once sued, a radiologist should consult a legal professional or risk manager, who will be instrumental in navigating the process; nonetheless, radiologists should seek to maintain a basic understanding before a suit arises.”
2. Develop and maintain one’s support system: Radiologists who are defendants in lawsuits may feel isolated when unable to communicate during proceedings and stigmatized after the matter is resolved.
“Thus, friend and family support is crucial,” Mezrich wrote. “Institutions may develop peer support groups for physicians during and after litigation. Because some radiologists may be uncomfortable seeking out groups within their own institutions due to lack of confidentiality, professional organizations could alternatively fill this role. Ready access to mental health resources is also beneficial. Finally, some lawyers may act as a confidante to the sued physician in a supportive manner.”
3. Support tort efforts: Mezrich believes radiologists’ protection should never come “at the expense of justice for negligently harmed patients.” Tort reform, he believes, has the potential to lessen the impact of MMSS “while maintaining a fair system for patients.”
“For example, while tort reform measures—including liability ceilings, streamlined no-fault claim approaches, and implementation of candor laws, as currently used in several states—could detrimentally impact compensation for injured patients, they could also lead to increased numbers of settlements (and thus more payouts) and more rapid dispositions or less-protracted litigation,” he wrote. “These effects would reduce radiologists’ outcome uncertainty and time under stress from litigation.”
Read the rest in the official journal of the American Roentgen Ray Society here.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.