Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The Netherlands
Recent data on number of claims, final judgement of claims and their costs are scarce. This study analyzes 15 years of malpractice claims in the Netherlands. All claims filed, and all claims closed by two insurance companies (which insure approximately 95% of all hospitals in the Netherlands) betwee...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | Healthcare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/10/1929 |
| _version_ | 1797431575354277888 |
|---|---|
| author | Désirée Klemann Helen Mertens Frits van Merode |
| author_facet | Désirée Klemann Helen Mertens Frits van Merode |
| author_sort | Désirée Klemann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent data on number of claims, final judgement of claims and their costs are scarce. This study analyzes 15 years of malpractice claims in the Netherlands. All claims filed, and all claims closed by two insurance companies (which insure approximately 95% of all hospitals in the Netherlands) between 2007–2021 are included. Trends in number of claims, medical specialties involved, final judgements and costs from malpractice claims are analyzed, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on malpractice claims. In total, 20,726 claims were filed and 21,826 claims were closed. Since 2013, the number of claims filed decreased. Of all claims filed, 64% were aimed at surgical specialties and 18% at contemplative specialties. Of all claims closed, 24.49% were accepted, 19.26% were settled and 48.94% got rejected. The financial burden of all claims closed quadrupled between 2007 and 2021; this increase was caused by rare cases with excessively high costs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a decrease in the number of claims filed, and the number of incidents reported. This study provides valuable insights into trends and developments in the number and costs of liability claims, which is the first step towards improving patient safety and preventing incidents and malpractice claims. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:47:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b0fabb36442540e0bddb3c789412a13f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:47:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-b0fabb36442540e0bddb3c789412a13f2023-12-02T00:31:35ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322022-10-011010192910.3390/healthcare10101929Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The NetherlandsDésirée Klemann0Helen Mertens1Frits van Merode2Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht University, 6229 HX Maastricht, The NetherlandsExecutive Board, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht University, 6229 HX Maastricht, The NetherlandsCare and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The NetherlandsRecent data on number of claims, final judgement of claims and their costs are scarce. This study analyzes 15 years of malpractice claims in the Netherlands. All claims filed, and all claims closed by two insurance companies (which insure approximately 95% of all hospitals in the Netherlands) between 2007–2021 are included. Trends in number of claims, medical specialties involved, final judgements and costs from malpractice claims are analyzed, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on malpractice claims. In total, 20,726 claims were filed and 21,826 claims were closed. Since 2013, the number of claims filed decreased. Of all claims filed, 64% were aimed at surgical specialties and 18% at contemplative specialties. Of all claims closed, 24.49% were accepted, 19.26% were settled and 48.94% got rejected. The financial burden of all claims closed quadrupled between 2007 and 2021; this increase was caused by rare cases with excessively high costs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a decrease in the number of claims filed, and the number of incidents reported. This study provides valuable insights into trends and developments in the number and costs of liability claims, which is the first step towards improving patient safety and preventing incidents and malpractice claims.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/10/1929malpractice claimsmedical liabilitylitigationtrendsdevelopmentsCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Désirée Klemann Helen Mertens Frits van Merode Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The Netherlands Healthcare malpractice claims medical liability litigation trends developments COVID-19 |
| title | Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The Netherlands |
| title_full | Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The Netherlands |
| title_fullStr | Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The Netherlands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The Netherlands |
| title_short | Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The Netherlands |
| title_sort | trends and developments in medical liability claims in the netherlands |
| topic | malpractice claims medical liability litigation trends developments COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/10/1929 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT desireeklemann trendsanddevelopmentsinmedicalliabilityclaimsinthenetherlands AT helenmertens trendsanddevelopmentsinmedicalliabilityclaimsinthenetherlands AT fritsvanmerode trendsanddevelopmentsinmedicalliabilityclaimsinthenetherlands |