Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40524638›Full record

ArticleAnaesthesiology intensive therapy2025

An analysis of cases referred to Polish prosecutor's offices involving suspected medical errors directly and indirectly connected with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anna Smędra, Katarzyna Wochna, Rafał Kubiak, Jarosław Berent

Abstract read
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Article in Anaesthesiology intensive therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Anna SmędraDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
Katarzyna WochnaDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
Rafał KubiakDepartment of Criminal Law, University of Lodz, Poland.
Jarosław BerentDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe healthcare system is one of the areas most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. This resulted in a higher occurrence of medical errors at diffe-rent stages of diagnosis and patient treatment. This study aimed to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the number and type of medical errors in Poland and the type of medical facility where the irregularity occurred. MATERIAL AND

methodsWe reviewed inquiries into the correctness of medical proceedings related to COVID-19; these were received by our department from prosecutor's offices throughout Poland during the pandemic and after its end: from the beginning of January 2020 to the end of December 2023. During the examined period (48 months), the department received a total of 4,483 inquiries, i.e. approximately 4.5 per day (approximately 1,000 working days). Of these, 293 were related to the COVID-19 pandemic (6.54%) and were further analyzed according to the selected criteria. Inquiries regarding "COVID" cases concerned all aspects of medical procedures, all medical professions, and all healthcare entities.

resultsA clear correlation was found: most inquiries raising doubts about the correctness of medical procedures were received during the peaks (waves) of the pandemic: autumn 2020, spring 2021, late autumn 2021, and winter 2021/2022.

conclusionsDespite the introduction of legal regulations intended to decriminalize consequences of medical errors related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such cases were still submitted to prosecutors' offices; prosecutors initiated proceedings and then commissioned expert opinions on the correctness of the medical procedure.

Indexed as

COVID-19Medical ErrorsDelivery of Health CareHumansPandemicsPolandSARS-CoV-2COVID-19expert opinionmedical malpracticepandemic

Identifiers

PMID40524638
PMCPMC12210359

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