Psychiatric malpractice: a review of the national loss experience
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TL;DR
The authors examine the outcome of 217 malpractice actions against psychiatrists from 1974 to 1978, finding that psychiatry has one of the best malpractice claim records.
Abstract
The authors examine the outcome of 217 malpractice actions against psychiatrists from 1974 to 1978. Claims against psychiatrists represented only 0.3% of the 71,788 claims against all physicians. Loss experience was developed as a function of procedure (ECT, psychotherapy), type of injury (suicide, diagnostic error), and the patient's psychiatric diagnosis. Over one-third of the claims were closed without payment; the average paid indemnity was $31,000. Diagnostic errors and suicide were the major sources of loss. Only a few cases went to trial. These data illustrate that psychiatry has one of the best malpractice claim records.