title: [The risk of medical error occurrence on holidays in the material of the Forensic Medicine Department, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, in the years 2000-2005].
abstract: The issue of medical error is relatively often discussed at forensic congresses or conferences. The authors carried out a medico-legal analysis of records of proceedings related to the appraisal of medical procedures investigated in the Forensic Medicine Department, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, in the years 2000-2005. In 88 cases, where expert teams from the Department recognized medical errors to have been committed, 90% of such errors were demonstrated to have occurred on weekends and holidays. The majority of errors were associated with the decision-making process or diagnostic management and committed in hospital admission rooms or the so-called operative departments (orthopedic surgery, general surgery, gynecology, obstetrics). Evaluating the above presented cases, the authors drew attention to factors affecting the risk of medical error and the most common causes of inappropriate patient management.
authors.affiliation: Katedry i Zakładu Medycyny Sadowej Slaskiej Akademii Medycznej w Katowicach.
authors.forename: Czesław
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chowaniec
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chowaniec
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jabłoński
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006693:Holidays; D006801:Humans; D008318:Malpractice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards; D028743:Professional Misconduct / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors