When Intermountain Healthcare, a network of hospitals in Utah and Idaho, improved its treatment for premature babies, it reduced the time they spent in intensive care, thereby slashing the costs of treating them. But, because hospitals are paid a fee for each service they provide, and better care meant that the babies needed fewer services, the change cost the hospital network $329,000 a year.
做出这种决定的一个原因是, 在医生或医院看来, 害怕被病人的家属起诉, 起诉医生或医院导致了他们亲人的去世。因此，例如，病人濒临死亡时的苏醒，对医生最有利的判断是，因为他们没有明确地表示，他们不希望在这种情况下苏醒。