Am J Psychiatry 1984; 141:979-981
Copyright © 1984 by American Psychiatric Association
Psychiatric malpractice: a review of the national loss experience
PF Slawson and FG Guggenheim
The authors examine the outcome of 217 malpractice actions against
psychiatrists from 1974 to 1978. Claims against psychiatrists represented
only 0.3% of the 71,788 claims against all physicians. Loss experience was
developed as a function of procedure (ECT, psychotherapy), type of injury
(suicide, diagnostic error), and the patient's psychiatric diagnosis. Over
one-third of the claims were closed without payment; the average paid
indemnity was $31,000. Diagnostic errors and suicide were the major sources
of loss. Only a few cases went to trial. These data illustrate that
psychiatry has one of the best malpractice claim records.
