Psychiatric malpractice: a review of the national loss experience.
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.
D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D012652:Self Mutilation; D013405:Suicide / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States