ArticleJournal of cutaneous medicine and surgery
Medico-Legal Complaints Against Dermatologists: Data From the Canadian Medical Protective Association, 2013 to 2022.
Article in Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Causes, Characteristics, and Risk Factors of Medical Damage Liability Disputes: A 13-Year Retrospective Analysis of 1761 Litigation Cases in Chongqing, China.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Risk Factors and Liability Distribution in Medical Disputes Related to Spinal Diseases: A Six-Year Retrospective Study in Beijing.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2026Article
- Analysis of the causes of improper medical decision-making in medical damage liability disputes in China: a text mining approach.BMC health services research · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMedico-legal complaints against physicians are a significant source of anxiety and could be associated with defensive medical practices that may correlate with poor patient outcomes. Little is known about patient concerns brought to regulatory bodies and courts against dermatologists in Canada.
objectiveTo characterize factors contributing to medico-legal complaints brought against dermatologists in Canada.
methodsThe Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) repository was queried for all closed cases involving dermatologists over the past decade. Aggregate, anonymized data was reviewed and case outcomes, patient harm, and contributing factors were extracted.
resultsNearly one-fifth of all dermatologists who are CMPA members have been named in at least one medico-legal case between 2013 to 2022. A total of 396 civil-legal actions or College complaint cases involving dermatologists were closed at the CMPA during this timeframe. The most common patient allegations were deficient assessment (34%), diagnostic error (28%), and unprofessional manner (22%). Nearly half of patients experienced a harmful event, the majority of which were asymptomatic or mild. The most frequently identified contributing factors related to providers were poor clinical decision making (n = 73), lack of situational awareness (n = 67), and conduct and boundary issues (n = 59). Team factors included a breakdown of communication with patients (n = 124).
conclusionsImproved communication with patients for informed consent, treatment plans, clinical follow-up, and documentation of thorough clinical patient assessments can improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes, and mitigate dermatologists' medico-legal risk.
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