Studies reporting survey data relevant to primary care malpractice claims
| Author (year) | Setting | Data source | Population studied | Outcome | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPS (2011) | UK | Survey of GP members | 1 in 5 related to prescribing related adverse events | Types of prescribing errors Frequently implicated medications | Failure to warn of or recognise side effects, right drug-wrongly prescribed, wrong drug prescribed, injection related, drug interaction or contraindicated Commonest medication classes: steroids (oral and topical), antibiotics (previous known penicillin allergy or sulphonamides), phenothiazides, HRT, COCP, narcotics, lithium and anticoagulants (inadequate monitoring) and NSAIDs |
| MPS (2011) | UK | Survey | N=670, UK MPS members | Prevalence of malpractice claims | 27% of respondents were GPs of whom 12% had experienced a malpractice claim |
| American Medical Association (AMA) (2010) | US | Survey. Random sampling of the AMA repository, nationally representative, 2007–2008 | N=5285 physicians total N=100 GPs/Family practitioners | Prevalence of malpractice claims | 3.1% sued in the previous year 38.9% sued once in their career 22.2% Sued more than once in their career |
| Nash (2009) | Australia | Survey of doctors who had been insured with UNITED Medical Protection | N=582 GP cohort 33% response rate | Prevalence of malpractice claims (Medico-legal matter defined as a claim for compensation or complaint) | Of GP cohort; Currently involved in medicolegal matter—9% Ever involved in medicolegal matter—58% Claim for compensation related to malpractice—21% |
| AMA (1993) | US | Survey | Prevalence of malpractice claims | For GPs, the rate was 5.7 per 100 in 1991 | |
| Zuckerman (1984) | US | Survey of the AMA Socioeconomic Monitoring System (1978–1983) | N=1240, All specialties | Prevalence of malpractice claims per specialty | For general/family practice, annual claims rate 8.7% (1978–1983), prior to 1978, 3.8% |