This application proposes to study the effect of malpractice liability reforms on health care practices, costs and outcomes. The research focuses on the practice of """"""""defensive"""""""" medicine, which is defined as the delivery of services to the patient which are of little or no medical value, but may be instrumental in avoiding potential malpractice suits. The research investigates three specific questions: 1) the effect of different kings of malpractice reforms on the """"""""malpractice pressures"""""""" facing health care providers and 2) the effect of tort reforms and malpractice pressure on medical treatment patterns for health problems more commonly involved in malpractice litigation and 30 the effect of malpractice-related differences in treatment patterns on health care costs and health outcomes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HS008804-02
Application #
2771687
Study Section
Health Systems Research (HSR)
Program Officer
Hsia, David
Project Start
1997-09-01
Project End
2000-08-31
Budget Start
1998-09-01
Budget End
1999-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
National Bureau of Economic Research
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Cambridge
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02138