@2024 Afarand., IRAN
ISSN: 1027-1457 Scientific Journal of Forensic Medicine 2019;25(4):177-184
ISSN: 1027-1457 Scientific Journal of Forensic Medicine 2019;25(4):177-184
Medical Malpractice of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in the Complaint Records Referred to the Forensic Medicine Commission of Tehran Province during 2015-2017
ARTICLE INFO
Article Type
Descriptive & Survey StudyAuthors
Rezaie M. (1)Gharibreza M.H. (*1)
Charkh-Abi A. (2)
(1) Forensic Medicine Department, Medicine School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
(2) Health Department, Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Correspondence
Address: Forensic Medicine Department, Medical School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Poorsina Street, 16 Azar Street, Tehran, Iran. Postal code: 1417414418.Phone: +98 (21) 66348556
Fax: +98 (21) 66348556
dr.gharibreza@gmail.com
Article History
Received: July 7, 2018Accepted: November 26, 2019
ePublished: December 21, 2019
ABSTRACT
Aims
Obstetricians and gynecologists are at the top of medical malpractice complaints. Medical malpractice in this regard can lead to consequences such as neonatal and fetal deaths, maternal defects, maternal deaths and neonatal defects. The aim of this study was to investigate the medical malpractice of obstetricians and gynecologists in the complaint records referred to the forensic medicine commission of Tehran Province during 2015-2017.
Instrument & Methods This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 366 complaint files of obstetricians and gynecologists who were referred to the Forensic Medicine Commission of Tehran Province during 2015-2017, and data on patient and physician characteristics, type of injury, cause and effect of complaint were extracted. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 software and Chi-square test.
Findings Of the 366 cases studied, 90.7% of the physicians were women, and faculty members had less complaints than other physicians. But there was no significant difference between male and female physicians and with different degrees of science in terms of the types of medical malpractice and injury that led to complaints (p>0.05). 68.1% of complaints were related to patients who referred to governmental hospitals for treatment and there was a significant relationship between type of malpractice and place of treatment (p<0.05).
Conclusion The most common cause of gynecological medical malpractice is negligence. There was no relationship between demographic characteristics of physicians, including age, sex, degree, and work experience with the type of medical malpractice with respect to the forensic results and the type of injury to the patient.
Instrument & Methods This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 366 complaint files of obstetricians and gynecologists who were referred to the Forensic Medicine Commission of Tehran Province during 2015-2017, and data on patient and physician characteristics, type of injury, cause and effect of complaint were extracted. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 software and Chi-square test.
Findings Of the 366 cases studied, 90.7% of the physicians were women, and faculty members had less complaints than other physicians. But there was no significant difference between male and female physicians and with different degrees of science in terms of the types of medical malpractice and injury that led to complaints (p>0.05). 68.1% of complaints were related to patients who referred to governmental hospitals for treatment and there was a significant relationship between type of malpractice and place of treatment (p<0.05).
Conclusion The most common cause of gynecological medical malpractice is negligence. There was no relationship between demographic characteristics of physicians, including age, sex, degree, and work experience with the type of medical malpractice with respect to the forensic results and the type of injury to the patient.
CITATION LINKS
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[15]Rafizadeh Tabaei Zavareh SM, Hajmanoochehri R, Nassaji Zavareh M. Frequency of malpractice of general practitioners in complaints referred to center of forensic medicine of Tehran from 2003 to 2005. Iran J Forensic Med. 2007;13(3):152-7. [Persian]
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[2]Ayoubian A, Mahmoodabadi HB, Dehaghi ZH. Midwifery errors: a descriptive study in Isfahan forensic medicine general department. Mater Sociomed. 2013;25(3):175-7.
[3]Selbst SM, Friedman MJ, Singh SB. Epidemiology and etiology of malpractice lawsuits involving children in US emergency departments and urgent care centers. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2005;21(3):165-9.
[4]Cottam D. Medical malpractice in the twenty-first century. In: Herron DM, editor. Bariatric surgery complications and emergencies. New YorK: Springer; 2016. p. 319-22.
[5]Khoshhal M, Vafaei F, Khoshhal M. Rules governing the liability of dentists in Iran. Iran J Forensic Med. 2013;19(4 and 1):227-32. [Persian]
[6]Tadayon M, Kamyab F, Afshari P, Keikhahi B, Vahabi Shekarloo T, Haghighizadeh MH. Malpractice claims against gynecology and midwifery staff in medical council and forensic centre in khosezstan province and related factors, 2006-2012. J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci. 2016;25(132):320-3. [Persian]
[7]Haghshenas MR, Vahidshahi K, Ahmadzadeh Amiri A, Sheikh Rezaei M, Rahmani N, Pourhossein M, et al. Study the frequency of malpractice lawsuits referred to forensic medicine department and medical council, Sari, 2006-2011. J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci. 2012;21(86):253-60. [Persian]
[8]Akhlaghi M, Tofighi Zavare H, Samadi F. The Sues of gynecoobstetrics referred to the commission of national legal medicine center at 2001-2002; reasons and methods of prevention from these. Iran J Forensic Med. 2004;10(34):70-4. [Persian]
[9]Nocon JJ, Coolman DA. Perinatal malpractice. Risks and prevention. J Reprod Med. 1987;32(2):83-90.
[10]Bagherian Mahmoodabadi H, Setareh M, Nejadnick M, Niknamian M, Ayoobian A. The frequency and reasons of medical errors in cases referred to isfahan legal medicine center. Health Info Manag. 2012;9(1):101-9. [Persian]
[11]Foruzesh M, Ghorbani A, Vosugh M, Mohammadi J. Survey on medical errors in Zanjan from 2005 to 2009. In: Proceedings of the 3rd International Congress of Patient Rights; 2011 Feb 22-24; Kish Convention CentreKish, Hormozgan Province, Iran. Tehran: Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Medical Ethics and Law Research Center; 2011. [Persian]
[12]Safdari R, Masoori N, Ghadyani M, Shokrizadeh Arani L. Importance of a proprietary electronic registration system for referral complaints due to medical malpractice in the Forensic Medicine Organization. Iran J Forensic Med. 2005;11(2):99-106. [Persian]
[13]Bagherian Mahmoodabadi H, Lohrasbi F, Setareh M, Lotfi M. Frequency and reasons of midwives malpractices in cases referred to general office of legal medicine of Isfahan, Iran during 2005-2009. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil. 2014;17(99):13-20. [Persian]
[14]Adibzadeh A, Ghadi Pasha M, Pour Amiri A, Nakhaei N, Samadi Rad B, Bastani M. A study on medical malpractices ending to death and disability referred to Kerman Medical council’s medical malpractices commission. Med Law J. 2012;6(20):141-54. [Persian]
[15]Rafizadeh Tabaei Zavareh SM, Hajmanoochehri R, Nassaji Zavareh M. Frequency of malpractice of general practitioners in complaints referred to center of forensic medicine of Tehran from 2003 to 2005. Iran J Forensic Med. 2007;13(3):152-7. [Persian]
[16]Taragin MI, Willett LR, Wilczek AP, Trout R, Carson JL. The influence of standard of care and severity of injury on the resolution of medical malpractice claims. Ann Intern Med. 1992;117(9):780-4.
[17]Localio AR, Lawthers AG, Brennan TA, Laird NM, Hebert LE, Peterson LM, et al. Relation between malpractice claims and adverse events due to negligence: results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study III. N Engl J Med. 1991;325(4):245-51.