Patient Complaints and Malpractice Risk
Authors:
- Gerald B. HicksonGHGerald B. Hickson
- Charles F. FederspielCFCharles F. Federspiel
- James W. PichertJPJames W. Pichert
- Cynthia S. MillerCMCynthia S. Miller
- Jean Gauld-JaegerJGJean Gauld-Jaeger
- Preston BostPBPreston Bost
Top Cited Papers
Open Access
- 12 June 2002
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in JAMA
- Vol. 287 (22) , 2951-2957
Abstract
Conventional wisdom holds that a physician's malpractice experience is determined by factors associated with the physician, caseload, and unpredictable circumstances. One risk factor for lawsuits is area of specialty, a belief confirmed actuarially in the setting of malpractice rates.1,2 Even within a given discipline, however, some physicians are sued more often than others. Sloan et al3 observed disproportionate malpractice activity among internists, obstetricians, and surgeons, with 2% to 8% of these specialists accounting for 75% to 85% of their group's award and settlement costs.Keywords
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