Physician Bad Behavior

Nearly everyone within the healthcare arena knows a “difficult doctor”; that physician who  is abusive towards nurses and other staff, won’t admit patients to the hospital at the conclusion of a shift, or slacks off on paperwork. Negative physician behavior has been around for many years and is usually treated as a dirty secret.

Often times, the intimidation and poor communication from physicians is accepted because of the demand for physicians, but this behavior can result in serious safety issues that lead to medical errors, poor patient treatment and high staff turnover. The Joint Commission has issued a requirement for medical care organizations to have a policy in position to deal with bad behavior.

Some think the superior attitude displayed by some doctors has resulted in a culture of submissiveness. Over the last decade, health care advocates have fought to bring this issue to light and push back against this culture.

One of the major reasons for mistakes in hospitals is the state-of interaction between doctors and nurses. Oftentimes, nurses are doing their duty, reporting and documenting what's required, nevertheless the physician won't take action.

Have you have run into a physician with bad behavior? Tell us your experience!

Determining who is responsible in a medical malpractice lawsuit is essential to winning a case. Contact us to find out more about how medical malpractice lawsuits can be affected by physician behavior.