KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES OF PHYSICIANS ABOUT MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 forensic and toxicology department faculty of medicine cairo university

2 Forensic and Toxicology department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University

3 forensic and toxicology department faculty of medicine Cairo university

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In Egypt, medical malpractice problems have been magnified during the last few years. AIM OF THE WORK: to evaluate and address the knowledge and previous experiences of the physicians regarding malpractice in Egypt and to increase the physician’s awareness to avoid medical litigation through good malpractice and ensure a good doctor patient relationship. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: a cross-sectional study was done through spreading of a simple formatted questionnaire among 181 randomly selected physicians in Kasr alainy teaching hospital from 2019 to 2020. RESULTS: (72.37%) of the physicians thought that sometimes malpractice affects doctor's thinking and actions. About (34.25 %) of the physicians thought that failure of diagnosis is the most common cause of malpractice. The majority of the physicians agreed that the patient, stress and overwork have a role in the adverse events, and malpractice. More than half of the physicians (58.56 %) handled malpractice cases. The majority (83.43 %) of the physicians thought that the patient should be told if any mistake happened & (86.25 %) of the physicians agreed that patients should be compensated. Most physicians (72.92 %) agreed that malpractice could be avoided, and (45.30 %) thought that staying up to date is the best way to avoid malpractice. More than half of the physicians (54.14 %) disagreed that informed consent is enough to protect the doctors from malpractice. CONCLUSION: More education and training systems are recommended for doctors to increase doctors’ competence and awareness about medical responsibility, performing regular assessment and evaluation, creation of a conducive working environment, encouraging communication between all departments, encouraging reporting and discussing possible errors. The insecure sensation of the physicians should be put in mind and more efforts should be exerted to improve doctor patient relationship.

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