Medical error analysis in dermatology according to the reports of the North Rhine Medical Association from 2004–2013. (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lehmann, Lion; Wesselmann, Ulrich; Weber, Beate; Smentkowski, Ulrich
• Is Part Of: Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft. Volume 13:Number 9(2015)
• Page Start: 903
• Page End: 908
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: Skin -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Dermatology -- Periodicals; 616.5005
• DOI: 10.1111/ddg.12652
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1610-0379

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="ddg12652-sec-0010" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Patient safety is a central issue of health care provision. There are various approaches geared towards improving health care provision and patient safety. By conducting a systematic retrospective error analysis, the present article aims to identify the most common complaints brought forth within the field of dermatology over a period of ten years.</p> </sec> <sec id="ddg12652-sec-0020" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>The reports of the Expert Committee for Medical Malpractice Claims of the North Rhine Medical Association (from 2004 to 2013) on dermatological procedures were analyzed (n = 247 reports in the field of dermatology).</p> </sec> <sec id="ddg12652-sec-0030" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Expert medical assessments in the field of dermatology are most frequently commissioned for nonsurgical therapies (e.g. laser therapy, phototherapy). While suspected diagnostic errors constitute the second most common reason for complaints, presumed dermatosurgery‐related errors represent the least common reason for commissioning expert medical assessments.</p> </sec> <sec id="ddg12652-sec-0040" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The most common and easily avoidable sources of medical errors include failure to take a biopsy despite suspicious clinical findings, or incorrect clinicopathological correlations resulting in deleterious effects for the patient. Furthermore, given the potential for incorrect indications and the inadequate selection of devices to be used as well as their parameter settings, laser and phototherapies harbor an increased risk in the treatment of dermatological patients. The fourth major source of error leading to complaints relates to incorrect indications as well as incorrect dosage and administration of drugs. Analysis of expert medical assessment reports on treatment errors in dermatology as well as other medical specialties is helpful and provides an opportunity to identify common sources of error and error‐prone structures.</p> </sec> </abstract>