Malpractice Claims Report: EHR Documentation Errors Still Far Too Common

The wide-ranging report analyzed data from nearly 12,000 events pertaining to more than 20,000 closed claims across a 10-year period from 2010 to 2019.

A recent review of 10 years of medical malpractice claims from medical professional liability insurance provider Coverys explores how safety efforts since To Err Is Human have not delivered optimal results. The report’s analysts contend the findings raise vital questions for the healthcare industry at large.

Data from the Boston-based Coverys shows improvement in select areas such as increased patient engagement, flattened hierarchies enabling staff to raise concerns, increased teamwork, and better sharing of information. However, many areas remain largely unchanged. Some key findings of the report, which was derived from nearly 12,000 events pertaining to more than 20,000 closed claims at Coverys across a 10-year period from 2010 to 2019, include:

The average indemnity paid for physicians’ medical malpractice claims increased 20 percent from 2010 to 2019, to $411,053.