Examinations of medical cases conducted in the Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination of the Tambov region

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Over the past 5 years, the number of commission examinations on improper provision of medical care by the Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination of the Tambov Region has increased. These examinations were performed to identify defects in the provision of medical care and determine their effect on an unfavorable outcome for the patient. AIM: To analyze and evaluate forensic medical examinations performed at the Tambov Regional Bureau of Forensic Medicine in so-called medical cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To identify medical specialties with the most frequent cases of inadequate medical care, which are the direct cause of unfavorable outcomes, an analysis of examinations was conducted for 2017–2021. The study included examinations performed from both the Tambov region and other regions. RESULTS: The number of cases of inadequate provision of medical care, for which the examination confirmed a cause-and-effect relationship with an unfavorable outcome, remains approximately at the same level throughout 2017–2021, and the largest number of defects in the provision of medical care were identified in the profile “obstetrics and gynecology.” However, the identified defects in the provision of medical care do not directly correlate with the number of examinations prescribed. CONCLUSION: The analysis of medical cases showed that the number of examinations in which a direct causal link was established between defects in the provision of medical care and adverse outcomes remained low annually (not more than 9%). The largest number of defects in the provision of medical care was found in the profile “obstetrics and gynecology,” which relates to defects in diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords

• medical harm
• medical expertise
• medical practice
• damage
• defect