Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
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Womens Health Issues · Jul 2008
The impact of malpractice burden on Michigan obstetrician-gynecologists' career satisfaction.
Medical services for pregnancy and childbirth are inherently risky and unpredictable. In many states, obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNS) who attend the majority of childbirths in the United States and provide the most clinically complex obstetric procedures are struggling with increasing malpractice insurance premiums and litigation risk. Despite its significant implications for patient care, the potential impact of malpractice burden on OB-GYN physicians' career satisfaction has not been rigorously tested in previous research. ⋯ The findings of this study suggest that high malpractice premiums negatively affect OB-GYN physicians' career satisfaction. The impact of the current medical liability climate on quality of care for pregnant women warrants further investigation.