Reactions of potential jurors to a hypothetical malpractice suit: alleging failure to perform a prostate-specific antigen test

Michael J Barry; Pamela H Wescott; Ellen J Reifler; Yuchaio Chang; Benjamin W Moulton

doi:10.1111/j.1748-720X.2008.00283.x

Reactions of potential jurors to a hypothetical malpractice suit: alleging failure to perform a prostate-specific antigen test

J Law Med Ethics. 2008 Summer;36(2):396-402, 214. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-720X.2008.00283.x.

Authors

Michael J Barry¹, Pamela H Wescott, Ellen J Reifler, Yuchaio Chang, Benjamin W Moulton

Affiliation

¹ General Medicine Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, MA, USA.

PMID: 18547208
DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-720X.2008.00283.x

Abstract

We conducted focus groups with 47 potential jurors who were presented with different scenarios in a hypothetical malpractice case involving failure to order a PSA test. Better documentation that a patient made an informed decision to decline a PSA test appeared to provide more medical-legal protection for physicians, especially with the use of a decision aid.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Decision Making*
Diagnostic Errors
Expert Testimony
Female
Focus Groups*
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Malpractice*
Mass Screening / adverse effects*
Middle Aged
Physical Examination / standards*
Physician-Patient Relations
Prostate-Specific Antigen / blood*
Prostatic Neoplasms / blood*
Prostatic Neoplasms / diagnosis

Substances

Prostate-Specific Antigen