Primary Healthcare, Clinical & Medical Case Reports

Biography

Biography: Giovanni Cannavo

Abstract

In the past, the medical profession was highly respected and prestigious in Italy and all over the world. The doctor-patient relationship was characterized by complete trust and mistakes as well as negligence of clinicians were deemed as misfortunes or fate. In the last 20 years, because of a growing belief in medical science, patients have become intolerant towards medical mistakes and the phenomenon of Medical Malpractice has risen. The extreme consequence of a complete faith in medicine is that patients believe that they can always be cured and, otherwise, they think they are a victim of medical errors. The roots of this relatively new phenomenon can be found in the activities of associations devoted to the defense of patients’ rights resting upon the stronger belief in one’s civil rights, mass media attention to malpractice cases, evolution of jurisprudence in favor of patients together with the rise of esthetic surgery where there is a legal obligation of a favorable result. This has favored lawsuits against doctors in an abnormal manner, thus leading to a congestion of tribunals, the escape from the market of insurance companies and the skyrocketing of insurance costs for doctors which have reached 50,000 euros. On the other hand, doctor’s practice “defensive medicine”, as it was called, rising e.g., laboratory tests and radiological examination prescriptions. In order to contain these expenses, Italian Government issued the first law - Balduzzi Law - that established some limits in favor of clinicians. At present, a new law - Disegno di Legge 2224 - DDL Gelli - was approved by the Higher Chamber (Senate) on 17^th January 2017 and should be effective shortly. Our presentation, in the plenary session of the Conference, focuses on the contents of this recently issued law that can stimulate a thought-provoking discussion being it both a reference point for debate and comparison about medical malpractice.