title: The first survey on defensive medicine in radiation oncology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Defensive Medicine occurs when doctors order tests, procedures, visits or avoid high-risk patients and procedures, primarily to reduce their exposure to malpractice liability. Some medical specialities are at "high-risk" for legal argument, but no data is actually available for radiation oncology. We present here the first survey of radiation oncologists' views regarding malpractice liability and defensive medicine practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  A three-page questionnaire was sent to 611 active radiation oncologists, members of the Italian Association of Radiation Oncology (AIRO), with questions pertaining to the incidence, nature and causes in their practice of defensive medicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 361 questionnaires were completed (59 % feedback). Physicians practise defensive medicine by ordering further imaging studies (39 %) or laboratory tests (35 %), referring patients to consultants (43 %) or prescribing additional medication (35 %). Approximately, 70 % declared that the climate of opinion that exists towards doctors is one of the major issues for practising defensive medicine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although radiation oncology is generally considered a "medium/low risk" speciality for defensive medicine, the present survey reflects a widespread use of this behaviour in daily practice. Investigating which radiation oncologist categories are more prone to defensive medical behaviour can be advantageous for implementing programmes aimed at improving awareness of this phenomenon and to increase good clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via E. Longoni 49, 00155, Rome, Italy, s.ramella@unicampus.it.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramella
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mandoliti
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trodella
authors.forename: Rolando Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: D'Angelillo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D003675:Defensive Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018787:Radiation Oncology; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires