[Murder of the doctor]

Abstract

Aim: To examine possible risk factors for the doctor to be killed by the patient in the clinical practice by examining a series of murders that involved physicians.

Methods: This aim has been achieved through a retrospective review on clinical cases of doctors killed by patients within the period between 1988 and 2013, in Italy.

Results: In this period 18 Italian doctors have been killed in the workplace, with a rate of 0.3/100,000. In 7 cases, the murder resulted in the context of doctor-dissatisfaction; in 7 cases the murder was committed by a psychiatric patient; 1 case in the context of a stalking; 3 cases occurred in a workplace which was not safe enough. Four categories of at-risk contexts have been identified. One category includes a murder in the context of a doctor-dissatisfaction, perceived by patient. The second category concerns murders committed by patients suffering from mental illness. A third category includes homicides in a workplace which is not safe. The last category comprises the murder in the context of stalking.

Conclusions: These categories identify specific dangerous situations for physicians, in which are highlighted elements that have played a crucial role in the murder and for which special precautions are suggested preventive.