A recent study by Zurich suggests that the frequency of medical malpractice claims (measured as claims per 100 occupied bed equivalents) is declining, according to a Healthcare Financial Management Association report.
The study examined the frequency of malpractice claims at 1,600 hospitals between 1997 and 2007, and found that in addition to decreased claim frequency, the severity of claims has also begun to stabilize. The annual average amount per claim has increased 4 percent over the last 11 years — a decrease over the 6 percent average increase identified in last year's study by Zurch.
The study also found that claim severity varied by hospital type. Teaching and acute-care community hospitals have the highest severity, while non-profit hospitals have the lowest severity.
Read the HFMA report on malpractice claims.
Read more coverage on malpractice claims:
- Study Finds 42% of Physicians Have Been Sued for Malpractice
- Study Finds Medical Malpractice Accounts for 2.4% of Healthcare Spending
- Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Claims Decrease Over Last Ten Years
The study examined the frequency of malpractice claims at 1,600 hospitals between 1997 and 2007, and found that in addition to decreased claim frequency, the severity of claims has also begun to stabilize. The annual average amount per claim has increased 4 percent over the last 11 years — a decrease over the 6 percent average increase identified in last year's study by Zurch.
The study also found that claim severity varied by hospital type. Teaching and acute-care community hospitals have the highest severity, while non-profit hospitals have the lowest severity.
Read the HFMA report on malpractice claims.
Read more coverage on malpractice claims:
- Study Finds 42% of Physicians Have Been Sued for Malpractice
- Study Finds Medical Malpractice Accounts for 2.4% of Healthcare Spending
- Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Claims Decrease Over Last Ten Years