Malpractice: a case-control study of claimants

Efforts by hospitals to minimize the frequency of malpractice claims require knowledge of which patients file claims and why. Utilizing a case-control method to investigate the characteristics of patients, of providers, and of the course of care at a university hospital, the authors found several factors to be associated with notification of an intent to file a claim. White collar workers, patients dissatisfied with their care, those who experienced more complications, and those admitted to a particular medical floor were more likely to make a claim. There was no significant association between notice of a claim and complexity of care as indicated by number of diagnoses, invasive procedures, blood tests, and x-rays. Furthermore, the number of different primary care physicians and different consultants did not influence the patient's decision to pursue legal action. Attention to these findings may help avert malpractice claims; however, further study with a larger sample is needed to validate these results.