The successful practice of medicine involves a great deal of skill, insight and intelligence, but it also requires doctors to remain current with industry knowledge.
A new dermatological study evidences the large divide that may exist between physicians that evolve to incorporate modern medical guidelines and those that remain stuck in their ways.
Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center discovered that corticosteroids were the second-most prescribed treatment for psoriasis, a skin disorder, even though current guidelines advise against it. The study found that corticosteroids accounted for three of the top nine drugs prescribed for psoriasis.
The study shows that it can be alarmingly common for doctors to ignore medical guidelines, carefully crafted by top physicians, so they can remain in their comfort zone and keep doing things as they have in the past.
This “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy can compromise the quality of health care that patients receive and rob them of the opportunity for a better quality of life.
Doctors should be using all reliable industry knowledge when they treat their patients. If a physician fails to change his or her practice to incorporate contemporary knowledge then resulting harm could amount to medical negligence in certain situations.
If a behind-the-times doctor failed to present you with viable treatment options and it caused you severe harm, speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney to discuss your legal options.
McKeen & Associates, P.C., is an acclaimed law firm focused on representing patients and families in medical malpractice litigation.
Source: PubMed.gov, “Systemic Corticosteroids Are Frequently Prescribed For Psoriasis,” A. Al-Dabagh
