Experience and Etiology of Defensive Medicine in View of Residents in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2016

Defensive medicine is concerned with decisions made to avoid errors that could result in serious consequences in terms of quality of care and efficient use of scarce health resources. This study aimed to assess the experience and etiology of defensive medicine from the perspective of residents in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.
This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with all residents in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2016. The questionnaire was designed to collect data. Data were recorded in SPSS software version 20. Using descriptive statistics and the statistical method of inferred, Friedman's test at a significance level of 0.05, was used.
Experiencing defensive medicine was reported by 100% of the participants, such that 149 people 38.3% reported high level and 11 people 2.8% reported low level of experience. Defensive medicine was mostly adopted to avoid being sued by patients 87.2% and least due to lack of liability insurance and reduce the risk of loss of financial capital doctor, 43.7% have been reported.
The results obtained suggest a high level of defensive medicine among residents in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Accordingly, it is recommended that training be provided to eliminate this phenomenon, and doctors be steered toward its positive aspects. And while that with quite simple measures will reduce this phenomenon.