As a result of the increase in malpractice insurance premiums, the concept of defensive medicine has been introduced which means that providers often order more tests and provide more services than necessary to protect themselves from malpractice lawsuits.

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Defensive medicine refers to the practice where healthcare providers order more tests, procedures, or visits, or avoid high-risk patients or procedures, primarily to reduce their exposure to malpractice liability rather than to benefit the patient. The increase in malpractice insurance premiums has been cited as a contributing factor to the rise of this practice, as providers seek to protect themselves from potential lawsuits by ensuring that no aspect of diagnosis or treatment is overlooked, even if it means incurring unnecessary costs or exposing patients to unnecessary procedures.

As a Result of the Increase in Malpractice Insurance Premiums