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Why Are Residents Reluctant to Consult Attending Physicians?

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Listed:
  • Otto H. Swank

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Abstract

A physician performs two tasks: making diagnoses and determining treatments. To reduce medical error, residents are supposed to consult their supervisors when they face uncommon circumstances. However, recent research shows that residents are reluctant to do so. This paper presents a model that explains (i) which residents shy away from consulting; (ii) when residents are reluctant; (iii) the importance of protocols in the medical sector; and (iv) when consulting is a sign of strength or a sign of weakness. Furthermore, I show that encouraging residents to consult by investigating mishaps leads to another distortion: residents will give too much weight to own assessments.

Suggested Citation

  • Otto H. Swank, 2009. "Why Are Residents Reluctant to Consult Attending Physicians?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 09-042/1, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20090042
    as

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    File URL: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/09042.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Medical error; medical decision-making; reputational concerns; consulting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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