Factors and impact of physicians' diagnostic errors in malpractice claims in Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Diagnostic errors are prevalent and associated with increased economic burden; however, little is known about their characteristics at the national level in Japan. This study aimed to investigate clinical outcomes and indemnity payment in cases of diagnostic errors using Japan's largest database of national claims.

Methods

We analyzed characteristics of diagnostic error cases closed between 1961 and 2017, accessed through the national Japanese malpractice claims database. We compared diagnostic error-related claims (DERC) with non-diagnostic error-related claims (non-DERC) in terms of indemnity, clinical outcomes, and factors underlying physicians' diagnostic errors.

Results

All 1,802 malpractice claims were included in the analysis. The median patient age

SUBMITTER: Watari T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7398551 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature