Journal of Forensic Research

Alleged Medical Malpractice: A Retrospective Study of Forensic Evaluation of Cases in Cairo and Giza regions-Egypt(2009-2011)

Abstract

Dalia Abd-Elwahab Hassan, Alaa M Shehab and Heba Kotb

The best available data source on lethal cases of medical malpractice is the files of the institutes of forensic medicine. The medico-legal autopsies are ordered by the prosecutor general when a case of alleged medical malpractice comes to his attention. A retrospective analysis of 243 cases of suspicious medical malpractice, from 2009 to 2011, was conducted at the Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority. This study showed that hospital doctors were more affected by medical malpractice claims than doctors in private practice. It also showed that although surgery is the discipline with most accusations of medical malpractice, the rate of confirmed cases with proven causality is low.