Report Highlights
- 28% of the surgery-related claims closed with a payment
- 10% of surgery patients who allege malpractice experienced poor communication
- most frequently named surgical services included orthopedics, neurosurgery, and general surgery
Every stage of the surgical encounter exposes both patient and surgeon to potential pitfalls. Pinpointing where on the surgical path their patients and providers are most vulnerable to preventable errors is difficult for all organizations. This Report analyzes 3,300 claims and shines a light on what goes wrong and why. It reveals that errors that lead surgery patients to allege malpractice are primarily due to narrow clinical judgment, poor technical performance, or miscommunication among team members.
