defensive medicine

noun

: the practice of ordering medical tests, procedures, or consultations of doubtful clinical value in order to protect the prescribing physician from malpractice suits

Examples of defensive medicine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
And hefty verdicts encourage defensive medicine—doctors aiming to shield themselves order unnecessary tests, which pushes up health care costs. Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 5 July 2024 The exact amount of spending increase is unknown, but some estimate that defensive medicine adds at least $55 billion per year to U.S. healthcare costs. Jason Ma, Fortune, 2 July 2024 Initiate tort reform, to help alleviate the practice of defensive medicine. Carolyn Barber, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defensive medicine was in 1969

Dictionary Entries Near defensive medicine

Cite this Entry

“Defensive medicine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defensive%20medicine. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

defensive medicine

noun
: the practice of ordering medical tests, procedures, or consultations of doubtful clinical value in order to protect the prescribing physician from malpractice suits
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