Coronary heart disease complaints against health care personnel in Finland.
This study comprised all complaints submitted from 1980 to 1990 by coronary patients and their relatives to the Finnish National Board of Health (NBH). The purpose of this study was to determine the reasons for complaints and their consequences. The complaints were coded and the material was analysed using the statistical BMDP package. Only 59 of a total of 7,516 complaints dealt with coronary disease. The majority of complaints concerned professional technical competence. The NBH found negligence in ten cases and gave administrative counselling to the professionals at fault. The negligence was not deemed serious enough to warrant any penalties or the restriction of licences. Communication problems were difficult to prove and none of these complaints resulted in counselling. Treatment of coronary heart disease seldom results in a formal complaint and negligence is found only in a minority of cases. Patient dissatisfaction can well be studied by analysing complaints, but the general quality of coronary care has to be addressed with other methods.
Aland Central Hospital, Mariehamn, Finland.
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S
Aaltonen
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T
Hermanson
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003327:Coronary Disease; D005104:Expert Testimony; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice; D008875:Middle Aged; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies