Improving clinical reasoning is an important component of medical education. Using a medical malpractice claims database, researchers in this study reviewed 50 conditions identified 15 priority conditions that can be used to improve clinical reasoning education for general practitioners. The conditions represent common (e.g., eye infection), complex common (e.g., renal insufficiency, cardiovascular disease, cancer), and complex rare conditions (e.g., ectopic pregnancy) and often demonstrate atypical presentations or complex contextual factors important for diagnostic reasoning.

Patient safety is a global health concern. For this study, representatives from 27 countries reported on rules, laws, and policies in their country related to adverse events and medical errors. As expected, laws varied widely between countries regarding issues such as apology laws, patient compensation schemes, and legal and emotional support for clinicians involved in adverse events.

Clinical reasoning is an important component of medical education. In this study, first-year general practice residents concluded that diagnostic error cases, both with and without malpractice claim information, are equally effective for clinical reasoning education.

Previous analyses have found that orthopedic surgery is one common source of patient harm. This survey of 305 orthopedists found that involvement in a medical malpractice lawsuit within the past two years increased the likelihood of experiencing burnout and reporting a medical error resulting in patient harm in the past year.

The majority of healthcare providers use electronic health record (EHR) systems but these systems are not infallible. This analysis used closed malpractice claims from the CRICO malpractice insurance database to identify whether the EHR contributes to diagnostic error, the types of errors, and where in the diagnostic process errors occur. EHR contributed to diagnostic error in 61% of claims, the majority in outpatient care, and 92% at the testing stage.

Large malpractice claims databases are increasingly used as a proxy to assess the frequency and severity of diagnostic errors. More than 5,300 closed claims with at least one diagnostic error were analyzed. No singular factor was identified; instead multiple contributing factors were implicated along the diagnostic pathway.

Wrong-site surgery is considered a never event and can lead to serious patient harm. This analysis of closed medical malpractice claims on wrong-site surgery between 2013 and 2020 concluded that the risk of wrong-site surgery increases with spinal surgeries (e.g., spinal fusion, excision of intervertebral discs). The primary contributing factors to wrong-site surgery was failure to follow policy or protocols (such as failure to follow the Universal Protocol) and failure to review medical records.

Previous research has identified disparities in adverse events and patient safety risks for Black patients compared to White patients. In this study, researchers used a large healthcare system’s malpractice database to examine racial differences in malpractice lawsuits. Although there were no significant race differences in lawsuits, findings suggest that employees are more likely to identify potential malpractice events for White patients compared to Black patients.

Prior research has shown that physicians with more than three paid medical malpractice claims are at increased risk of another claim in the next two years. This study assessed the risk of additional claims after just one paid malpractice claim, whether public disclosure of claims increased the risk, and whether the risk changes over time. The authors also compare actual claims rates to simulated rates if malpractice claims were “random” events unrelated to prior claims.

Wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient errors (WSPEs) are serious adverse events. This retrospective analysis of medical liability claims data examined the incidence of WSPEs in France between 2007 and 2017. During this ten-year period, WSPEs accounted for 0.4% of all claims. Procedures on the wrong organ were most common (44%), followed by wrong side (39%), wrong person (13%) and wrong procedure (4%). The researchers found that the average number of WSPEs decreased after implementation of a surgical checklist.

Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are required to meet meaningful use and certification standards to receive incentive payments from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This study identified six settlements reached between EHR vendors and the Department of Justice for misconduct related to certification of meaningful use. Certification of EHR systems that don’t meet HHS meaningful use requirements may have implications for patient safety.

The rapid expansion of digital health technologies, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, can increase patient safety risks. This article summarizes malpractice liability risks associated with digital health technologies, including electronic health record (EHR) systems, telehealth, and artificial intelligence for clinical decision support.

Previous research has found that fear of malpractice can influence medical decision-making. This survey of emergency department attending physicians and advanced practice clinicians in Massachusetts found that fear of harming patients played a larger role in medical decision-making than fear of legal action.

Legal and policy approaches are used to achieve sustained safety improvements. This review characterized the body of evidence regarding patient safety and its legal implications. Four approaches to improving safety were commonly covered in the literature – liability system reforms, new forms of regulation, increased transparency, and financial incentives.