BIOMAT Database Logo BIOMAT Database Logo

Characteristics of medical professional liability claims in patients with cardiovascular diseases. 2010

William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
Division of Cardiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. oetgenw@georgetown.edu

This report presents data describing a large cohort of closed cardiovascular medical professional liability (MPL) claims. The Physician Insurers Association of America established a registry of closed MPL claims in 1985. This registry contains data describing 230,624 closed claims for 28 medical specialties through 2007. The registry is maintained to support educational programs designed to improve the quality of care and to reduce patient injury and MPL claims. In this report, descriptive techniques are used to present summary information for the medical cardiovascular claims in the registry. Of 230,624 closed claims, 4,248 (1.8%) involved cardiovascular medical physicians. Of the 4,248 closed cardiovascular medical claims, 770 (18%) resulted in indemnity payments, and the average indemnity payment was $248,291. In the entire database, 30% of closed claims were paid, and the average indemnity payment was $204,268. The most common allegation among cardiovascular closed claims was diagnostic error, and the most prevalent diagnosis was coronary atherosclerosis. Claims involving cardiac catheterization and coronary angioplasty represented 12% and 7% of the cardiovascular closed claims. Aortic aneurysms and dissections, although relatively infrequent as clinical events, represent a substantial MPL risk because of the high percentage of paid claims (30%) and the very high average indemnity payment of $417,298. In conclusion, MPL issues are common and are important to all practicing cardiologists. Detailed knowledge of risks associated with liability claims should assist practicing cardiologists in improving the quality of care, reducing patient injury, and reducing the incidence of claims.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007344 Insurance Claim Reporting The design, completion, and filing of forms with the insurer. Claim Reporting, Insurance,Reporting, Insurance Claim
D007351 Insurance, Liability Insurance against loss resulting from liability for injury or damage to the persons or property of others. No-Fault Insurance,Insurance, No-Fault,Liability Insurance,No Fault Insurance
D008511 Medicine The art and science of studying, performing research on, preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease, as well as the maintenance of health. Insurance Medicine,Medical Specialities,Medical Specialties,Medical Specialty,Specialities, Medical,Specialties, Medical,Specialty, Medical,Insurance Medicines,Medical Speciality,Medicine, Insurance,Medicines, Insurance,Speciality, Medical
D012042 Registries The systems and processes involved in the establishment, support, management, and operation of registers, e.g., disease registers. Parish Registers,Population Register,Parish Register,Population Registers,Register, Parish,Register, Population,Registers, Parish,Registers, Population,Registry
D002318 Cardiovascular Diseases Pathological conditions involving the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM including the HEART; the BLOOD VESSELS; or the PERICARDIUM. Adverse Cardiac Event,Cardiac Events,Major Adverse Cardiac Events,Adverse Cardiac Events,Cardiac Event,Cardiac Event, Adverse,Cardiac Events, Adverse,Cardiovascular Disease,Disease, Cardiovascular,Event, Cardiac
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D015331 Cohort Studies Studies in which subsets of a defined population are identified. These groups may or may not be exposed to factors hypothesized to influence the probability of the occurrence of a particular disease or other outcome. Cohorts are defined populations which, as a whole, are followed in an attempt to determine distinguishing subgroup characteristics. Birth Cohort Studies,Birth Cohort Study,Closed Cohort Studies,Cohort Analysis,Concurrent Studies,Historical Cohort Studies,Incidence Studies,Analysis, Cohort,Cohort Studies, Closed,Cohort Studies, Historical,Studies, Closed Cohort,Studies, Concurrent,Studies, Historical Cohort,Analyses, Cohort,Closed Cohort Study,Cohort Analyses,Cohort Studies, Birth,Cohort Study,Cohort Study, Birth,Cohort Study, Closed,Cohort Study, Historical,Concurrent Study,Historical Cohort Study,Incidence Study,Studies, Birth Cohort,Studies, Cohort,Studies, Incidence,Study, Birth Cohort,Study, Closed Cohort,Study, Cohort,Study, Concurrent,Study, Historical Cohort,Study, Incidence
D016365 Liability, Legal Accountability and responsibility to another, enforceable by civil or criminal sanctions. Institutional Liability,Personal Liability,Professional Liability,Legal Liability,Medical Liability,Torts,Institutional Liabilities,Legal Liabilities,Liabilities, Institutional,Liabilities, Legal,Liabilities, Medical,Liabilities, Personal,Liabilities, Professional,Liability, Institutional,Liability, Medical,Liability, Personal,Liability, Professional,Medical Liabilities,Personal Liabilities,Professional Liabilities,Tort
D019300 Medical Errors Errors or mistakes committed by health professionals which result in harm to the patient. They include errors in diagnosis (DIAGNOSTIC ERRORS), errors in the administration of drugs and other medications (MEDICATION ERRORS), errors in the performance of surgical procedures, in the use of other types of therapy, in the use of equipment, and in the interpretation of laboratory findings. Medical errors are differentiated from MALPRACTICE in that the former are regarded as honest mistakes or accidents while the latter is the result of negligence, reprehensible ignorance, or criminal intent. Medical Mistakes,Surgical Errors,Critical Incidents, Medical,Critical Medical Incidents,Errors, Medical,Errors, Surgical,Medical Error of Commission,Medical Error of Omission,Medical Errors of Commission,Medical Errors of Omission,Medical Mistake,Mistake, Medical,Mistakes, Medical,Never Event,Surgical Error,Wrong-Patient Surgery,Wrong-Procedure Errors,Wrong-Site Surgery,Commission Medical Error,Commission Medical Errors,Critical Incident, Medical,Critical Medical Incident,Error, Medical,Error, Surgical,Error, Wrong-Procedure,Errors, Wrong-Procedure,Event, Never,Events, Never,Incident, Critical Medical,Incident, Medical Critical,Incidents, Critical Medical,Incidents, Medical Critical,Medical Critical Incident,Medical Critical Incidents,Medical Error,Medical Incident, Critical,Medical Incidents, Critical,Never Events,Omission Medical Error,Omission Medical Errors,Surgeries, Wrong-Patient,Surgeries, Wrong-Site,Surgery, Wrong-Patient,Surgery, Wrong-Site,Wrong Patient Surgery,Wrong Procedure Errors,Wrong Site Surgery,Wrong-Patient Surgeries,Wrong-Procedure Error,Wrong-Site Surgeries

Related Publications

William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
Characteristics of Medical Professional Liability Claims in Pediatric Orthopedics.
December 2021, Journal of patient safety,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
[Urological diseases most frequently involved in medical professional liability claims].
March 2014, Medicina clinica,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
REVIEW of medical professional liability claims and suits.
May 1958, Journal of the American Medical Association,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
Medical Professional Liability Claims: Experience in Oculofacial Plastic Surgery.
December 2018, Ophthalmology,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
Professional liability claims prevention.
April 1957, Journal of the American Medical Association,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
Characterization of Medical Professional Liability Claims Associated With Noninvasive Stress Testing.
May 2024, JACC. Cardiovascular imaging,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
Analysis of EHR Contributing Factors in Medical Professional Liability Claims.
January 2015, Michigan medicine,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
Medical professional liability claims related to esophageal cancer screening.
October 2014, JAMA,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
Review of Neurosurgery Medical Professional Liability Claims in the United States.
November 2018, Neurosurgery,
William J Oetgen, and P Divya Parikh, and Joseph G Cacchione, and Paul N Casale, and James T Dove, and John G Harold, and Brenda L Hindle, and Michael Maglaras, and George P Rodgers, and Janet S Wright
[Professional liability claims against dentists].
March 2015, Revista medica de Chile,
Copied contents to your clipboard!