Gynecologists and obstetricians are dedicated to providing quality preventative and critical care for female-specific health conditions at every stage of a woman’s life — and ensuring the health and safety of expectant mothers and their newborns throughout pregnancy and at delivery.
Because of the high-risk nature of gynecological illnesses and pregnancy complications, OB/GYN specialists are especially challenged to avoid any misdiagnoses, procedural errors, or mismanagement of post-op patients that could lead to allegations of medical malpractice. As an OB/GYN physician, you can reduce your risk of financial loss by securing robust malpractice insurance from an “A” rated carrier with the right coverage and rates for your OB/GYN specialty. In addition, you can benefit from having a strong risk management plan in place to potentially limit exposure to litigation while improving patient outcomes.
This article focuses on key findings from a recent study of obstetrics and gynecology malpractice cases by MedPro Group, an “A++” rated medical malpractice insurance carrier. Use this information to identify the leading malpractice allegations for your specialty, assess your risk for litigation, and develop a proactive risk management strategy.
Obstetrics: Major malpractice allegations and contributing factors
73% of the total OB malpractice cases reviewed in the MedPro study resulted in high clinical severity of patient injury, with 28% of high severity cases resulting in patient death. Overall, allegations of delay in treating fetal distress resulted in the largest share of total dollars paid to plaintiffs, as well as for the highest proportion of cases that closed with an indemnity payout. All allegations with financial severity cited in the MedPro study are ranked as follows, from most to least severe:
The following are the top contributing factors in OB malpractice cases and the most common allegations related to each:
Gynecology: Major malpractice allegations and contributing factors
75% of GYN malpractice claims and 85% of total payouts were found to be triggered by incidents of improper performance of surgery, improper management of surgical patients, and poor communication leading to diagnostic delays. In 58% of the cases, allegations were described as having medium clinical severity, such as infections, drug side-effects, delayed recovery, and other non-disabling patient injuries. 36% of the cases cited patient injuries classified as high clinical severity, such as severe brain damage or other significant permanent disablement, or patient death.
The following are the top contributing factors in GYN malpractice cases and the most common allegations related to each:
Build a strategy for proactive OB/GYN risk management
Based on the MedPro study findings, a proactive plan to reduce malpractice risk for OB/GYN specialists must focus on improvements in clinical decision making, procedural skills, and communication. Key recommendations from the study include:
Need Medical Malpractice Insurance for Your OBGYN Practice? SURGPLI can Help.
Our experienced SURGPLI insurance brokers save OBGYNs time and effort by researching and recommending your best options for malpractice insurance coverage, rates, and carrier. Get a fast quote or call 1-800-969-1339
SURGPLI is a division of MEDPLI, an independent insurance brokerage that specializes in making medical malpractice insurance simple for doctors.
Max Schloemann
About the Author
Max Schloemann is a medical malpractice insurance broker, focused on helping physicians secure Medical Professional Liability coverage. He helps Doctors and Surgeons, as well as Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and healthcare entrepreneurs launch new medical practices across the country. Max graduated Magna cum Laude from Southern Illinois University College of Business and was named the Outstanding Management Senior. Max’s career in medical malpractice insurance began in 2008 with an industry-leading firm. Max founded SURGPLI in 2023 to help surgeons navigate the complexities of medical malpractice insurance in the new era of healthcare. Max’s wife, Kristen, a Physician Assistant, and their 4 kids (plus 1 dog) enjoy hiking, golf, and cooking.
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