Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30007278›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of clinical pathology2018

Malpractice Concerns, Defensive Medicine, and the Histopathology Diagnosis of Melanocytic Skin Lesions.

Linda J Titus, Lisa M Reisch, Anna N A Tosteson, Heidi D Nelson, Paul D Frederick, Patricia A Carney, Raymond L Barnhill, David E Elder, Martin A Weinstock, Michael W Piepkorn and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of clinical pathology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
18citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Defensive medicine in dermatological practice - Dermatopathology as a mirror of structural challenges.Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft = Journal of the German Society of Dermatology : JDDG · 2026
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Is Dermoscopy Destroying Clinical Dermatology?Dermatology practical & conceptual · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Malpractice and Patient Safety Concerns.American journal of clinical pathology · 2020
    Article
  18. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Linda J TitusDepartment of Epidemiology and Pediatrics, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Hanover, NH.
Lisa M ReischDepartment of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Hanover, NH.
Anna N A TostesonDepartments of Medicine and Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Hanover, NH.
Heidi D NelsonDepartments of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology and Medicine, Portland.
Paul D FrederickDepartment of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Hanover, NH.
Patricia A CarneyDepartment of Family Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland.
Raymond L BarnhillDepartment of Pathology, Institut Curie, Paris Sciences and Letters Research University, University of Paris Descartes, Paris, France.
David E ElderDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Martin A WeinstockCenter for Dermatoepidemiology, VA Medical Center, Providence Department of Dermatology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence.
Michael W PiepkornDivision of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
Joann G ElmoreDepartment of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA.

Funding

Accuracy in the Diagnosis of Melanoma & the Impact of Double ReadingR01CA151306 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI ELMORE, JOANN G · 2011 to 2015
$4.1M
Reducing Errors in the Diagnosis of Melanoma and Melanocytic LesionsR01CA201376 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI ELMORE, JOANN G, KERR, KATHLEEN F. · 2016 to 2020
$3.2M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA151306NCI NIH HHS R01 CA201376
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe impact of malpractice concerns on pathologists' use of defensive medicine and interpretations of melanocytic skin lesions (MSLs) is unknown.

methodsA total of 207 pathologists interpreting MSLs responded to a survey about past involvement in malpractice litigation, influence of malpractice concerns on diagnosis, and use of assurance behaviors (defensive medicine) to alleviate malpractice concerns. Assurance behaviors included requesting second opinions, additional slides, additional sampling, and ordering specialized tests.

resultsOf the pathologists, 27.5% reported that malpractice concerns influenced them toward a more severe MSL diagnosis. Nearly all (95.2%) pathologists reported practicing at least one assurance behavior due to malpractice concerns, and this practice was associated with being influenced toward a more severe MSL diagnosis (odds ratio, 2.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.41-5.26).

conclusionsOne of four US skin pathologists upgrade MSL diagnosis due to malpractice concerns, and nearly all practice assurance behaviors. Assurance behaviors are associated with rendering a more severe MSL diagnosis.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelAdultAgedDefensive MedicineFemaleHumansLogistic ModelsMaleMalpracticeMelanomaMiddle AgedPathologistsPractice Patterns, Physicians'Skin NeoplasmsUnited States

Identifiers

PMID30007278
PMCPMC6116884

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.