Abstract
The results of a multicentre study authorised by the German Federal Ministry of Health regarding the expert opinion of alleged lethal medical malpractice are presented in this article. The main results of this study were: in the cooperating institutes the total number of autopsies due to suspected medical malpractice ranged between 1.4 and 20%. In more than 40% of cases preliminary proceedings were started because the manner of death was characterised as "not natural" or "not clarified", which affected more hospital doctors than doctors in private practice. However, the number of confirmed cases of medical malpractice was clearly higher for doctors in private practice than for hospital doctors. Surgery was still at the top of the disciplines involved in medical malpractice claims but the number of confirmed cases was below the average. Mistakes in care were confirmed to be above the average. The efficacy of medico-legal expert opinion is demonstrated by the fact that 2,863 out of 4,450 cases could be clarified by autopsy.
| Translated title of the contribution | Expert opinion on alleged lethal medical malpractice in the faculty of legal medicine: Nationwide multicentre study |
|---|---|
| Original language | German |
| Journal | Rechtsmedizin |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Pages (from-to) | 367-382 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| ISSN | 0937-9819 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 12.2006 |
