Background. The ongoing debate on the incidence and types of iatrogenic injuries in American hospitals has been informed primarily by Harvard Medical Practice Study, which analyzed hospitalizations New York 1984. generalizability these findings is unknown questioned other studies. Objective. We used methods similar to Study estimate adverse events negligent Utah Colorado 1992. Design Subjects. selected a representative sample from then randomly sampled 15,000 nonpsychiatric 1992 discharges....

Risk factors for medical errors remain poorly understood. We performed a case–control study of retained foreign bodies in surgical patients order to identify risk this type error.

How often physicians alter their clinical behavior because of the threat malpractice liability, termed defensive medicine, and consequences those changes, are central questions in ongoing medical reform debate.To study prevalence characteristics medicine among practicing high-liability specialties during a period substantial instability environment.Mail survey 6 at high risk litigation (emergency general surgery, orthopedic neurosurgery, obstetrics/gynecology, radiology) Pennsylvania May...

In the current debate over tort reform, critics of medical malpractice system charge that frivolous litigation--claims lack evidence injury, substandard care, or both--is common and costly.Trained physicians reviewed a random sample 1452 closed claims from five liability insurers to determine whether injury had occurred and, if so, it was due error. We analyzed prevalence, characteristics, litigation outcomes, costs lacked error.For 3 percent claims, there were no verifiable injuries, 37 did...

Although missed and delayed diagnoses have become an important patient safety concern, they remain largely unstudied, especially in the outpatient setting.To develop a framework for investigating diagnoses, advance understanding of their causes, identify opportunities prevention.Retrospective review 307 closed malpractice claims which patients alleged or diagnosis ambulatory setting.4 insurance companies.Diagnostic errors associated with adverse outcomes patients, process breakdowns,...

Concerns about reducing the rate of growth health expenditures have reignited interest in medical liability reforms and their potential to save money by practice defensive medicine. It is not easy estimate costs system, however. This article identifies various components system costs, generates national estimates for each component, discusses level evidence available support estimates. Overall annual including medicine, are estimated be $55.6 billion 2008 dollars, or 2.4 percent total care spending.

Despite wide recognition that the delivery of medical care by trainees involves special risks, information about types and causes errors involving is limited. To describe characteristics factors contributing to trainee errors, we analyzed malpractice claims in which were judged have played an important role harmful errors.The closed between 1984 2004, occurred 1979 2001. Specialist physicians reviewed random samples claim files at 5 liability insurers from 2002 2004 determined whether...

Disease Control, Civil Liberties, and Mass Testing There is emerging consensus that a graduated approach to Covid-19–related restrictive measures will be needed. Decisions continue, modify, or l...

Research has consistently identified firearm availability as a risk factor for suicide. However, existing studies are relatively small in scale, estimates vary widely, and no study appears to have tracked risks from commencement of ownership.We handgun acquisitions deaths cohort 26.3 million male female residents California, 21 years old or older, who had not previously acquired handguns. Cohort members were followed up 12 2 months (from October 18, 2004, December 31, 2016). We used survival...

“Vaccine Passport” Certification Rejecting both a sweeping public Covid-vaccination-passport scheme and ban on private certification is an easy call. In navigating the large, complex space in bet...

Previous studies relating the incidence of negligent medical care to malpractice lawsuits in United States may not be generalizable. These are based on data from 2 most populous states (California and New York), collected more than a decade ago, during volatile periods history litigation.The study objectives were (1) calculate how frequently nonnegligent management patients Utah Colorado 1992 led claims (2) understand characteristics victims who do or cannot obtain compensation for their...

This Health Policy Report describes the malpractice system in United States, examines its shortcomings, and analyzes forces that have led to past current crises. The authors review options for reform of U.S. system. Conventional tort reforms include caps on damages, limits attorneys' fees, shortening statute limitations. Experts also proposed major reforms, such as enterprise liability or administrative compensation.

Background: The data used by the U.S. Institute of Medicine to estimate deaths from medical errors come a study that relied on nurse and physician reviews records detect errors. Objective: To measure reliability record review for detecting adverse events negligent events. Design: Medical review. Setting: Hospitalizations in Utah Colorado 1992. Measurements: After three independent 500 records, following were measured: effect varying criteria reviewer confidence agreement about presence...

A major medical malpractice crisis is unfolding in the United States today. The American Medical Association has identified 18 states which physicians and institutional health care providers are having grave difficulties obtaining affordable professional liability insurance. In past two years, insurance premiums these have increased dramatically for high-risk specialties such as obstetrics, emergency medicine, general surgery, surgical subspecialties, radiology (see Figure). Another 26 on...

Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey 58(4):p 250-251, April 2003. | DOI: 10.1097/01.OGX.0000058682.18516.48

The growing prevalence of obesity among adults and children has prompted legal initiatives designed to combat this public health problem. authors describe litigation legislation that target discuss the potential for law reduce in United States.

To identify the most prevalent patterns of technical errors in surgery, and evaluate commonly recommended interventions light these patterns.The majority surgical adverse events involve errors, but little is known about nature causes events. We examined characteristics common contributing factors among closed malpractice claims.Surgeon reviewers analyzed 444 randomly sampled claims from four liability insurers. Among 258 which injuries due to error were detected, 52% (n = 133) involved...

Studdert et al. describe recent efforts by the federal government and professional organizations to tighten regulation of financial associations between physicians pharmaceutical industry. Payments doctors (including gifts consulting fees) drug companies are violations anti-kickback law if payments have potential increase recipients' prescriptions for companies' products. The Office Inspector General, Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers America, physicians' issued guidelines prohibiting...