How risky is caring for emergency patients at risk of malpractice litigation: a population based epidemiological study of Taiwan's experiences

Table 2 The descriptive statistics of all lawsuits originated from ERs in 1998-2002^A

Items	N	%
Total cases	26	100.0
Claim
Diagnosis related	19	73.1
Treatment related	7	26.9
Final principal diagnosis
Traffic Accident	10	38.5
fracture	4	40.0
head injury	3	30.0
internal bleeding	2	20.0
intestinal perforation	1	10.0
Infection and septic shock	4	15.4
Acute myocardial infarction	3	11.5
Iatrogenic	3	11.5
Intracranial hemorrhage	2	7.7
Rupture of abdominal aneurysm	1	3.8
Pulmonary edema	1	3.8
Adult respiratory distress syndrome	1	3.8
Congestive heart failure	1	3.8
Injury of the plaintiff
Not seriously injured	5	19.2
Seriously injured	2	7.7
Dead	19	73.1
Defendant
Emergency physicians^B	23	88.5
Hospital	3	11.5
Judgment in the district court
For plaintiff	8	30.8
Against plaintiff	18	69.2

^AER means emergency room.
^BEmergency physician is defined as the physician that sees the plaintiff in the ER with unspecified specialty.

ISSN: 1472-6963