Medico-legal dispute resolution: Experience of a tertiary-care hospital in Singapore.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The resource burden of healthcare disputes and medico-legal claims has been rising. A dispute resolution system operating at the hospital level could ameliorate this disturbing trend.

Methods

This is a retrospective observational study on patient complaints and medico-legal cases received by the dispute resolution unit of an acute tertiary hospital from 2011 to 2015. We described the characteristics and analysed the resolution methodology and outcomes of all closed medico-legal cases.

Results

Patient complaints significantly increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% (p<0.01), while medico-legal cases and ex-gratia payments for case settlements decreased at CAGRs of 4.8% (p<0.05) and 15.9% (p = 0.19), respectively. Out of 237 closed medico-

SUBMITTER: Lim LT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9565668 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature