Abstract
ABSTRACTRough weather conditions in the subarctic areas of Norway may influence on the risk of wrist fracture. We implemented data from the Norwegian System of Patient Injury Compensation (NPE). All claims due to wrist surgery, performed at the public hospitals in Northern Norway, during 2005-2014 were analyzed. We employed the ICD-10 classification codes S52.5 (fracture of distal end of radius) and S52.6 (fracture of distal end of radius and ulna). Treatment was defined by NCSP codes. 84 patients (0.3%) complained. Females complained four times more often than males did (P = 0.005) and received five times more frequently a compensation (P < 0.001). NPE accepted 34 claims (40%) for injury compensation (0.1% of patients). The percentage of claims accepted for compensation decreased from 48% to 30% during study period, probably due to delay in filling claims. The main causes of complains were pain, reduced range of motion, malfunction and weakness (35/84). The main causes of compensation were “operative treatment should have been performed” (14/34) and “wrong operative method applied” (13/34). The mean amount per compensation was €14,927 (€0–€52,995). Stonger focus on quality of care, updated guidelines and shared decission-making may reduce the number og complains and compensations.
Highlights
Rough weather conditions in the subarctic areas of Norway may influence on the risk of wrist fracture
We aimed to employ Northern Norwegian data on patient injury compensation for patients treated for distal radius fractures
To indicate the percentage of patients claiming a compensation, we identified all patients in Northern Norway with a wrist fracture
Summary
Rough weather conditions in the subarctic areas of Norway may influence on the risk of wrist fracture. To minimise complications and malpractice on a system level, health care administrators may run campaigns to improve staff’s attention during treatment, for example the “safe surgery campaign” [9,10]. Another and maybe more important measure is the effort to reduce the number of complications by improving surgeons’ expertise or skills [11] or by giving better training and supervision [12]. Surgery, know their department’s quality of care figures and be aware of the present national and international guidelines They should stay focused on quality of care, learn from reported patient complications/injuries, keep patients informed and systematically document diagnosis, information and treatment in the electronic patient record (EPR) system
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