Eight Key Physician Malpractice Facts

1. 7.4% of physicians annually had a claim
2. 1.6% of physicians made an indemnity payment
3. % of claims by specialty ranged from 19.1% in neurosurg., 18.9% in thoracic–cardiovascular surg., and 15.3% in general surg. to 5.2% in family medicine, 3.1% in pediatrics, and 2.6% in psychiatry
4. Gynecology alone had the 12th highest average annual proportion of physicians with a claim, but it had the highest payment rate
5. Across specialties, the mean indemnity payment was $274,887, and the median was $111,749
6. The average payment for neurosurgeons ($344,811) was less than the average payment for pathologists ($383,509) or for pediatricians ($520,924)
7. Among physicians in low-risk specialties, 36% were projected to face their first claim by the age of 45 years, as compared with 88% of physicians in high-risk specialties
8. By the age of 65 years, 75% of physicians in low-risk specialties and 99% of those in high-risk specialties were projected to face a claim

Notes: Data from RAND supported study of records on closed malpractice claims for 40,916 physicians who were covered for at least one policy year from 1991 through 2005
Source: Malpractice Risk According to Physician Specialty, New England Journal of Medicine, August 18, 2011
Source URL: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1012370?query=fea...

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