[Malpractice claims against radiologists in Italy. Trends in 1993-1995]

Abstract

The insurance claims against Italian radiologists over a three-year period (1993-1995) were anonymously reviewed, based on pertinent data provided by the Insurance Company of the Italian Society of Medical Radiology. The incidence risk-rate of claims was 11.4 per thousand persons/year. The overall claims rate increased in 1995. Alleged malpractice accounted for more than 85% of the claims. Misdiagnosis represented the first and most important claim category (43.4% of the total). The most common misdiagnosis was the failure to diagnose fracture or dislocation. The second most common plaintiff's misdiagnosis argument was the failure to diagnose breast cancer. The second most frequent claim category (35.8%) were complications, frequently occurring during interventional radiology and contrast media injection. A minority of claims (11.3%) originated from patient injury occurring in the radiology department during exam execution. Finally, radiologists were frequently sued together with medical (or surgical) doctors in case of patient death, according to an Italian law (Art. 589 P.C.). Claims were more frequent in public health services and they were mostly related to emergency examinations and interventional procedures.