Malpractice claims against emergency physicians in Massachusetts: 1975-1993

被引:88
作者
Karcz, A [1 ]
Korn, R [1 ]
Burke, MC [1 ]
Caggiano, R [1 ]
Doyle, MJ [1 ]
Erdos, MJ [1 ]
Green, ED [1 ]
Williams, K [1 ]
机构
[1] HEALTHCARE OPPORTUNITIES INC,WATERTOWN,MA
关键词
malpractice; risk management;
D O I
10.1016/S0735-6757(96)90044-3
中图分类号
R4 [临床医学];
学科分类号
1002 ; 100602 ;
摘要
This study reviewed 549 malpractice claims filed against emergency physicians in Massachusetts from 1975 through 1993, with a total of $39,168,891 of indemnity and expense spent on the 549 closed claims. High risk diagnostic categories (chest pain, abdominal pain, wounds, fractures, pediatric fever/meningitis, epiglottitis, central nervous system bleeding, and abdominal aortic aneurysm) accounted for 63.75% of all closed claims and 64.23% of the total indemnity and expense spent on closed claims. Missed myocardial infarction (chest pain) claims accounted for 25.47% of the total cost of closed claims but only 10.38% of closed claims. The number of claims for missed myocardial infarction increased in the post-1988 closed claim group compared to the pre-1988 group; fractures and wounds were significantly less frequent in the post-1988 group. The frequency of high-risk claims decreased in the post-1988 group, largely because of the decline in fracture and wound claims. The category of missed myocardial infarction had a larger percentage of claims closed with indemnity payment than without indemnity payment. This parameter may serve as a marker for the overall seriousness of claims associated with a particular allegation, unlike the average cost per claim, which may be skewed by a few large awards. Copyright (C) 1996 by W.B. Saunders Company.
引用
收藏
页码:341 / 345
页数:5
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