Free Data Study on Radiology Errors Outlines Key Tactics to Improve Patient Outcomes and Avoid Malpractice Claims
LOS ANGELES, November 28, 2018 – The Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. (CAP) today announced the release of its newest data study, A Focused Review of Radiology Closed Claims. While the central theme of the study is radiology, the data will be valuable to any practice that regularly utilizes radiology services. It is currently available for free here.
Radiologists make up approximately 3.6 percent of the U.S. physician population, but they rank sixth among all specialties as the most frequently named defendant in medical malpractice claims. This latest data study delves into the analytics of closed claims against CAP radiologists (radiology includes diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and interventional radiology).
CAP’s risk management staff evaluated 68 claims in radiology cases that resulted in an indemnity payment between 2006 and 2015. CAP’s data study provides a snapshot of factors contributing to diagnostic errors and offers suggestions on how to improve the practice of radiology with an eye toward improving overall patient outcomes and avoiding medical malpractice claims.
“By analyzing claims data, we have learned the specific trends and patterns which contribute to diagnostic failures and communication issues,” says Ann Whitehead, Vice President, Risk Management at CAP. “Whether you’re a radiologist or the ordering physician requesting the study, a diagnostic error can have devastating consequences for the patient. The risk management and patient safety strategies presented in this study can benefit all practices.”
To download a free copy of A Focused Review of Radiology Closed Claims, please visit www.capphysicians.com/radiologydata.
This free risk management data study is just one example of the risk management benefits CAP offers to its members. A Focused Review of Radiology Closed Claims complements CAP’s extensive library of vital content for physicians, including its widely popular Risk Management Self-Assessment Kit.
About the Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc.
The Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. (CAP) has supported California’s best physicians for nearly 40 years with outstanding medical professional liability coverage through the Mutual Protection Trust, an interindemnity arrangement organized under Section 1280.7 of the California Insurance Code. In addition to superior medical malpractice protection, CAP provides comprehensive risk and practice management resources to nearly 12,000 California doctors.
In 2013, CAP organized CAPAssurance, a Risk Purchasing Group, to bring liability insurance coverage to hospitals, healthcare facilities, and large medical groups. Based in Los Angeles, CAP also has offices in San Diego, Orange County, Sacramento, and Palo Alto. For more information, visit www.CAPphysicians.com. CAP is licensed as a California surplus lines broker (License No. 0B72723). The insurance products provided under the CAPAssurance, a Risk Purchasing Group, program are issued by a “non-admitted” or “surplus line” insurer that is not licensed by the State of California.
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