It is common in my practice to hear stories from potential clients about how their memory of a conversation with a doctor, or of the medical care in particular, is very different than what is written in the medical chart. It is difficult, absent extenuating circumstances, to take case that is built on a jury finding that the patient’s version is true, versus the medical record. I’ve tried and lost such a case.

Still, I will admit my bias, likely caused in part by all of the injured patients I speak with: in the context of litigation I get the feeling doctors do “misremember” things in a way that may not be overtly lying, but may not be entirely truthful. It is also likely true that patients who have been hurt and want to be compensated probably do the same thing.

Apparently, colleagues of defendant doctors do similar things to support their own. Recently an article came out highlighting a recent poll about doctors, nurses and lying. The poll, through Medscape, found that as many of 43% of doctors felt like lying to protect a colleague would be ok in certain circumstances. Only 18% of nurses, on the other hand, felt that way.

With respect to doctors, 38% felt like lying to protect a fellow doctor would be ok so long as the patient wasn’t harmed, while 5% said lying could be justified even if sometimes it was not in the best interest of the patient.

It was unclear from the poll what “not in the best interest of the patient” meant. Certainly in active litigation, “not in the best interest of the patient” means testifying in such a way as to defend fellow health care providers. Again, this may not be overt lying, but it may involve selective memory.

Another question in the poll asked whether the respondent had ever lied to protect a colleague. Almost one fourth of doctors (24%) said they had, while 14% of nurses said they had.

An unidentified doctor was quoted in the article as saying that lying was “medicine’s dirty little secret.” I don’t know about that; I’m not a health care provider. But the numbers in this poll are eye-opening.

You can read the Medscape article detailing the results of this poll here:

[Poll: 43% of Doctors Say Lying for Colleague Could Be Justified](http:// http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/877290)