Physicians have to complete a rigorous education, pass a state test and maintain a license to practice medicine. While they work as medical doctors, they must adhere to best practices and uphold their Hippocratic Oath. That oath includes a promise to do no harm.
Unfortunately, not all medical professionals consistently meet the standards imposed on their profession. In some cases, they become negligent due to burnout. Other times, they may mistreat certain patients, which can compromise the care that they provide.
Physicians need to cultivate a reasonable bedside manner so that they can honestly and effectively communicate with patients. Some doctors mistreat certain patients, possibly by engaging in medical gaslighting.
Can a situation involving medical gaslighting constitute medical malpractice?
What is medical gaslighting?
To understand if medical gaslighting is actually medical malpractice, people have to be able to recognize gaslighting when it occurs. The term gaslighting has become a pop psychology buzzword in recent years. It refers to an attempt by one person to undermine the memories or beliefs of another person by manipulating or lying to them.
In a medical setting, gaslighting might look like a doctor insisting that a patient does not have symptoms they have previously reported. Downplaying or denying a patient’s self-reported experience is perhaps the most common form of medical gaslighting.
Doctors may also try to convince patients that a mistake that previously happened did not occur. They might deny refusing to order a test for the patient or insist that they provided information to the patient that they did not.
Is gaslighting a form of malpractice?
There is no black-and-white answer to whether a situation involving medical gaslighting constitutes malpractice. In some cases, lying to a patient and manipulating their sense of reality could constitute malpractice.
If a doctor engages in such behavior to cover up a mistake or previous negligent behavior, then the gaslighting may be part of a broader medical malpractice issue. If a doctor fails to diagnose a patient or recommends the wrong course of treatment because they insist that their interpretation of events is correct and the patient’s is wrong, that may also constitute malpractice.
To determine whether a doctor failed in their duty to their patients, it may be necessary to speak with a legal professional about what occurred. Those directly harmed by gaslighting and medical negligence may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Evaluating a situation objectively can help people demand accountability from healthcare professionals who don’t meet necessary standards of care.
