Analysis of patient claims related to care in a university cardiology department over the period 2003–2007

Abstract

In Europe, the increase in numbers of patients making legal claims might be due to better knowledge of their rights. In France, a law passed in 2002 provided new opportunities for claims. To assess patient claims related to care in a French cardiology department. From 2003 to 2007, claims brought before the courts and actions of conciliation within the scope of the hospital were collected by year. Cardiology department claims were individualized and compared with those for other departments. Characteristics of patients at the time of the care that prompted the claim, percentage of deaths, reasons for claims and claim results were collected. During the 4-year study period, 14% (n=45,272) of hospital admissions concerned cardiology, uniformly distributed across the years. In the same period, 845 procedures were recorded, 81 of which related to cardiology. The complaints index was 2.59/1000 patients for the general population and 1.79/1000 for cardiology. The 81 cardiology complaints (52 mediations; 29 litigations) concerned patients aged 62±13 years (68% men). The number of cardiology claims remained stable from 2003 to 2007. Compared with claims concerning other departments, the nature of the plaintiff (more often heirs or husband/wife) and the reason for the claim (less frequently medical care problems; more often death and nosocomial infections) were statistically different. Claims related to cardiology care were low and relatively stable over the past 4 years. Nosocomial infections prompted a high proportion of claims and should lead physicians to be vigilant. Cardiology remains relatively protected from litigation. A national registry of hospital claims might be valuable.