PROFESSIONCan't we all just get along? Let's talk more, litigate lessCommentary. By Leonard J. Marcus, PhD, and Barry C. Dorn, MD, amednews contributors. Sept. 15, 2003. Humans are contentious and evolving beings. We defend with great might that which we hold dear: territory, security, and the successes of our career. We have a history of handling our contentious impulses through violent and aggressive means. Though we have evolved into more civilized methods for curbing the viciousness of our fighting -- with "rules of war" and courts of law -- we still invest enormous energy and anticipation into conquest, dominance and outright winning. When threatened, we are keen to draw a line in the sand and raise arms -- or at least threats -- as we shift into the offensive and defensive strategies of battle. When a dispute inexorably escalates, it is reassuring for civilized societies to observe their leaders at the negotiating table, working out their differences through diplomatic words. Getting to diplomacy and beyond the dark side of conflict is no easy matter. It requires building new confidence and trust. It is less about blame and more about correction and remediation. And once this sort of conciliatory talking is achieved, it is very valuable and very constructive. It is the upside of human nature at its very best. It's a dynamic step in the evolutionary process. And for all the work and the tremendous effort involved in making this sort of constructive talk happen, it isn't cheap. There has been an avalanche of recent attention on the contentious issues of medical malpractice litigation and overall health system reform. Physicians' liability insurance premiums have been skyrocketing in parallel with health care costs for patients. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2003 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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