Legal aspects of men's genitourinary health

Men's health issues have increasingly gained attention not only in the mass media, but also among most health-care providers. The diagnosis and treatment of male-related health problems, unfortunately, can lead to complications and error-related injuries resulting in claims of medical malpractice. This review article will look at the most common claims relating to complications and injuries in the management of men's health issues. Reviews of the literature over the past three decades using multiple search engines including PubMed were utilized. The most pertinent articles were selected on the basis of their relevance to men's health issues, complications and medico-legal ramifications. An evaluation of the literature reveals that although the number of claims against urologists has not increased over the past several decades, indemnity payments have continued to rise significantly. Claims can be divided into those relating to diagnosis and those relating to treatment. Providers of men's health care may become involved in claims of medical malpractice at some time during their careers. Patients' care can result in complications and injuries, most of which do not lead to claims. Certain areas of men's health lead to more claims than others. The keys to prevention and management of those claims are good communication, informed consent and documentation. International Journal of Impotence Research (2009) 21, 165-170; doi:10.1038/ijir.2009.4; published online 12 February 2009