Survival strategies for radiology: some practical tips on how to reduce the risk of being sued and losing.

Abstract

The average indemnification for radiologists has tripled in the past 15 years, making risk management in radiology necessary to reduce the threat of being sued and losing. More than 75% of radiology lawsuits allege failure to diagnose or failure to communicate in a timely manner: ultimately, one third of these lawsuits are lost by the radiologist. A failure to communicate results in a timely manner is one of the greatest problems facing radiologists today, and it is a causal factor in 80% of lawsuits. Although rarely the primary factor for these suits, this is the one area in medical malpractice litigation in which radiologists can play a crucial role in reducing risk and liability. This article provides some practical tips on how to reduce the risk for being sued and losing.