Why Patients Sue Their Doctors
Target Audience
Leaders in medicine, nursing, risk management, and legal affairs.
Overview
Malpractice risk is a concern of hospitals, medical centers, and healthcare professionals. Studies show that malpractice risk is related in large measure to patient/family dissatisfaction with their experience of care. If this is the case, medical groups and medical centers can use certain data to identify physicians at increased risk of being sued and intervene to reduce that risk. Research conducted by the faculty of the Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy at Vanderbilt shows that unsolicited patient complaints can be used to reliably identify and address physicians and service units with greater levels of risk management-related activity. As a result, the CPPA created the PARS® program, the discussion of which concludes this presentation.
Learning Objectives
- Identify factors contributing to the current malpractice crisis;
- Understand the magnitude of adverse events and medical negligence in hospitalized patients;
- State the reasons families offer for filing malpractice claims;
- Understand the distribution of malpractice claims among members of the medical profession;
- Understand why certain physicians attract a disproportionate share of malpractice claims; and
- Describe how unsolicited patient complaints may be used as a basis for identifying and intervening with physicians of increased risk for malpractice claims.
Proceeds from CPPA educational programs support education and research at Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.