SAN DIEGO, Cal – A recent report was released outlining the decline in medical malpractice claims filed against anesthesiologists. According to the report, which used data from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), there was a decrease in payouts from 2005 to 2013. The drop in payouts was about $80 million.
An interesting find was that while medical malpractice claims may be declining overall, there was a rise in claims filed in outpatient cases. Researchers and other professionals are attributing this rise to an increase in treatments offered on an outpatient basis. The things that used to require inpatient care and overnight hospital stays are now being completed in an afternoon, with patients being sent home the same day.
Wrongful death was the most common clinical finding in both in- and outpatient services. That said, outpatient care was more likely to involve minor injury than death. The majority of the claimants were female, and the most common age bracket was those who fall between 40 and 59 years of age.
Researchers are quick to point out that the study has its flaws. There is typically a lack of detail surrounding claims due to medical privacy. Understanding why payments are decreasing and fewer claims against anesthesiologists are being made is something that needs to be looked into further.
If you believe that you have been injured by an anesthesiologist or other health professional, call our offices today. Our team of medical malpractice attorneys will review your case at no charge to you. Call now for assistance.
