An Effective Program to Reduce Malpractice Claims and Payments in a Large Orthopaedic Practice.

BACKGROUND: High reliability in health care requires a balance between intentionally designed systems and individual professional accountability. One element of accountability includes a process for addressing clinicians whose practices are associated with a disproportionate share of patient complaints. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Patient Advocacy Reporting System (PARS), a tiered intervention model to reduce patient complaints about clinicians. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving a southeastern U.S. orthopaedic group practice. The study assessed the implementation of the PARS program and subsequent malpractice claims from 2004 to 2020. RESULTS: The implementation of PARS was associated with an 83% reduction in malpractice claims cost per high-risk clinician after intervention (p = 0.05; Wilcoxon rank sum test). The overall practice group experienced an 87% reduction in mean annual claims cost per clinician (p = 0.007; segmented regression). The successful adoption required essential elements such as PARS champions, peer messengers, an Office of Patient Affairs, and a clear statement of practice values and professionalism expectations at the time of onboarding. CONCLUSIONS: The PARS program was successfully adopted within a surgical specialty group as a part of ongoing risk prevention and management efforts. The period following PARS was associated with a retrospectively measured reduction in malpractice claim costs. The PARS program can be effectively implemented in a large, single-specialty orthopaedic practice setting and, although not necessarily causal, was, in our case, associated with a period of reduced malpractice claim costs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: We have learned in previous research that there are clear links between professionalism and patient outcomes (e.g., surgical complications), but agree that the focus here on medical malpractice is not directly clinical.

Coworker Reports about Unprofessional Behavior in Plastic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patient reports of unprofessional conduct by surgeons have been linked to postprocedure complications and increased risk for malpractice claims. Coworkers are also positioned to observe and report unprofessional behaviors, including concerns related to delivery of competent medical care, clear and respectful communication, integrity, and responsibility. This study compared rates of coworker concerns between plastic surgeons and other physicians (other surgical specialists and nonsurgeons), and characterized whether plastic surgery subspecialties differed in their rates of complaints. METHODS: Coworker concern data from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019, were retrieved from the Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy's Coworker Observation Reporting System database. Specialty was classified as plastic surgery, non-plastic surgical, and nonsurgical. The plastic surgery cohort was further characterized by sex, medical school graduation year, predominant practice type (reconstructive only, aesthetic only, or hybrid), and postresidency training (ie, completion of a fellowship). RESULTS: The study cohort included 34,170 physicians (302 plastic surgeons, 7593 non-plastic surgeons, and 26,275 nonsurgeons). A greater proportion of plastic surgeons (13.6%) had one or more coworker concerns compared with nonsurgeons (10.8%) and non-plastic surgeons (6.1%) ( P < 0.001). The most prevalent concern category reported for plastic surgeons was clear and respectful communication. Among plastic surgeons who had no concerns versus those who had at least one concern, there was no significant difference when comparing sex, medical school graduation year, predominant practice type, or postresidency training. CONCLUSIONS: Plastic surgeons in this cohort study received more coworker reports than other surgeons and nonsurgical physicians. These data may be used by institutions to identify plastic surgeons at risk for preventable postprocedure complications and intervene with peer feedback intended to promote self-regulation.

Patient Complaints in Orthopedic Surgery: An Analysis Utilizing a Large National Database.

INTRODUCTION: Unsolicited patient complaints (UPCs) about surgeons correlate with surgical complications and malpractice claims. Analysis of UPCs in orthopedics is limited. METHODS: Patient complaint reports recorded at 36 medical centers between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2018 were coded using a previously validated coding algorithm Patient Advocacy Reporting System. RESULTS: A total of 33,174 physicians had 4 consecutive years of data across the 36 participating medical centers and met other inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Orthopedists with high numbers of UPCs may benefit from being made aware of their elevated risk status in ways that invite reflection on underlying causes.

Unsolicited patient complaints among radiation, medical, and surgical oncologists.

BACKGROUND: Unsolicited patient complaints (UPCs) about physician practices are nonrandomly associated with malpractice claims and clinical quality. The authors evaluated the distributions and types of UPCs associated with oncologists by specialty and assessed oncologist characteristics associated with UPCs. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed UPCs associated with US radiation oncologists (ROs), medical oncologists (MOs), and surgical oncologists (SOs) from 35 health care systems from 2015 to 2018. Average total UPCs were compared by specialty in addition to sex, medical school graduation year, degree, medical school location, residency location, practice setting, and practice region. For continuous variables, linear regression was used to test for an association with total complaints. RESULTS: The study included 1576 physicians: 318 ROs, 1020 MOs, and 238 SOs. The average number of UPCs per physician was different and depended on the oncologic specialty: ROs had significantly fewer complaints (1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.54) than MOs (3.81; 95% CI, 3.52-4.10) and SOs (6.89; 95% CI, 5.99-7.79; P < .0001). In a multivariable analysis, oncologic specialty, recency of graduation, and academic practice were predictive of higher total UPCs (P < .05). UPCs described concerns with care and treatment (42.8%), communication (26.4%), accessibility (17.5%), concern for patient (10.3%), and billing (2.9%). CONCLUSIONS: ROs had significantly fewer complaints than MOs and SOs and may have a lower risk of malpractice claims as a group. In addition to oncologic specialty, a more recent year of medical school graduation and working at an academic center were independent risk factors for UPCs. Further research is needed to clarify the reasons underlying these associations and to identify interventions that decrease UPCs and associated risks. LAY SUMMARY: This study of 1576 oncologists found that radiation oncologists had significantly fewer complaints than medical oncologists, who in turn had significantly fewer complaints than surgical oncologists. Other characteristics associated with more patient complaints included recency of medical school graduation and practice in an academic setting. Oncologists' patient complaints provide information that may have practical applications for patient safety and risk management. Understanding and addressing the characteristics that increase the risk for complaints could improve patients' experiences and outcomes.

Qualitative Content Analysis of Coworkers' Safety Reports of Unprofessional Behavior by Physicians and Advanced Practice Professionals.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to develop a valid and reliable taxonomy of coworker reports of alleged unprofessional behavior by physicians and advanced practice professionals and determine the prevalence of reports describing particular types of unprofessional conduct. METHODS: We conducted qualitative content analysis of coworker reports of alleged unprofessional behavior by physicians and advanced practice professionals to create a standardized taxonomy. We conducted a focus group of experts in medical professionalism to assess the taxonomy's face validity. We randomly selected 120 reports (20%) of the 590 total reports submitted through the medical center's safety event reporting system between June 2015 and September 2016 to measure interrater reliability of taxonomy codes and estimate the prevalence of reports describing particular types of conduct. RESULTS: The initial taxonomy contained 22 codes organized into the following four domains: competent medical care, clear and respectful communication, integrity, and responsibility. All 10 experts agreed that the four domains reflected essential elements of medical professionalism. Interrater reliabilities for all codes and domains had a κ value greater than the 0.60 threshold for good reliability. Most reports (60%, 95% confidence interval = 51%-69%) described disrespectful or offensive communication. Nine codes had a prevalence of less than 1% and were folded into their respective domains resulting in a final taxonomy composed of 13 codes. CONCLUSIONS: The final taxonomy represents a useful tool with demonstrated validity and reliability, opening the door for reliable analysis and systems to promote accountability and behavior change. Given the safety implications of unprofessional behavior, understanding the typology of coworker observations of unprofessional behavior may inform organization strategies to address this threat to patient safety.

Do neurosurgeons receive more patient complaints than other physicians? Describing who is most at risk and how we can improve.

OBJECTIVE: The number of unsolicited patient complaints (UPCs) about surgeons correlates with surgical complications and malpractice claims. Using a large, national patient complaint database, the authors sought to do the following: 1) compare the rates of UPCs for neurosurgeons to those for other physicians, 2) analyze the risk of UPCs with individual neurosurgeon characteristics, and 3) describe the types of UPCs made about neurosurgeons. METHODS: Patient and family complaint reports among 36,265 physicians, including 423 neurosurgeons, 8292 other surgeons, and 27,550 nonsurgeons who practiced at 33 medical centers (22 academic and 11 regional) from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017, were coded with a previously validated Patient Advocacy Reporting System (PARS) algorithm. RESULTS: Among 423 neurosurgeons, 93% were male, and most (71%) practiced in academic medical centers. Neurosurgical subspecialties included general practice (25%), spine (25%), tumor (16%), vascular (13%), functional (10%), and pediatrics (10%). Neurosurgeons had more average total UPCs per physician (8.68; 95% CI 7.68-9.67) than nonsurgeons (3.40; 95% CI 3.33-3.47) and other surgeons (5.01; 95% CI 4.85-5.17; p < 0.001). In addition, a significantly higher percentage of neurosurgeons received at least one UPC (71.6%; 95% CI 67.3%-75.9%) than did nonsurgeons (50.2%; 95% CI 49.6%-50.8%) and other surgeons (58.2%; 95% CI 57.1%-59.3%; p < 0.001). Factors most associated with increased average UPCs were younger age, measured as median medical school graduation year (1990.5 in the 0-UPC group vs 1993 in the 14+-UPC group, p = 0.009) and spine subspecialty (13.4 mean UPCs in spine vs 7.9 mean UPCs in other specialties, 95% CI 2.3-8.5, p < 0.001). No difference in complaints was seen in those who graduated from non-US versus US medical schools (p = 0.605). The most common complaint types were related to issues surrounding care and treatment, communication, and accessibility, each of which was significantly more common for neurosurgeons than other surgical specialties (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Neurosurgeons were more likely to generate UPCs than other surgical specialties, and almost 3 out of 4 neurosurgeons (71.6%) had at least one UPC during the study period. Prior studies have shown that feedback to physicians about behavior can result in fewer UPCs. These results suggest that neurosurgeons have opportunities to reduce complaints and potentially improve the overall quality of care delivered.

Association of Coworker Reports About Unprofessional Behavior by Surgeons With Surgical Complications in Their Patients.

Importance: For surgical teams, high reliability and optimal performance depend on effective communication, mutual respect, and continuous situational awareness. Surgeons who model unprofessional behaviors may undermine a culture of safety, threaten teamwork, and thereby increase the risk for medical errors and surgical complications. Objective: To test the hypothesis that patients of surgeons with higher numbers of reports from coworkers about unprofessional behaviors are at greater risk for postoperative complications than patients whose surgeons generate fewer coworker reports. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study assessed data from 2 geographically diverse academic medical centers that participated in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) and recorded and acted on electronic reports of safety events from coworkers describing unprofessional behavior by surgeons. Patients included in the NSQIP database who underwent inpatient or outpatient operations at 1 of the 2 participating sites from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2016, were eligible. Patients were excluded if they were younger than 18 years on the date of the operation or if the attending surgeon had less than 36 months of monitoring for coworker reports preceding the date of the operation. Data were analyzed from August 8, 2018, through April 9, 2019. Exposures: Coworker reports about unprofessional behavior by the surgeon in the 36 months preceding the date of the operation. Main Outcomes and Measures: Postoperative surgical or medical complications, as defined by the NSQIP, within 30 days of the operation. Results: Among 13 653 patients in the cohort (54.0% [7368 ] female; mean [SD] age, 57 [16] years) who underwent operations performed by 202 surgeons (70.8% [143] male), 1583 (11.6%) experienced a complication, including 825 surgical (6.0%) and 1070 medical (7.8%) complications. Patients whose surgeons had more coworker reports were significantly more likely to experience any complication (0 reports, 954 of 8916 [10.7%]; ≥4 reports, 294 of 2087 [14.1%]; P < .001), any surgical complication (0 reports, 516 of 8916 [5.8%]; ≥4 reports, 159 of 2087 [7.6%]; P < .01), or any medical complication (0 reports, 634 of 8916 [7.1%]; ≥4 reports, 196 of 2087 [9.4%]; P < .001). The adjusted complication rate was 14.3% higher for patients whose surgeons had 1 to 3 reports and 11.9% higher for patients whose surgeons had 4 or more reports compared with patients whose surgeons had no coworker reports (P = .05). Conclusions and Relevance: Patients whose surgeons had higher numbers of coworker reports about unprofessional behavior in the 36 months before the patient's operation appeared to be at increased risk of surgical and medical complications. These findings suggest that organizations interested in ensuring optimal patient outcomes should focus on addressing surgeons whose behavior toward other medical professionals may increase patients' risk for adverse outcomes.

Unsolicited Patient Complaints among Otolaryngologists.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze unsolicited patient complaints (UPCs) among otolaryngologists, identify risk factors for UPCs, and determine the impact of physician feedback on subsequent UPCs. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed UPCs associated with US otolaryngologists from 140 medical practices from 2014 to 2017. A subset of otolaryngologists with high UPCs received peer-comparative feedback and was monitored for changes. RESULTS: The study included 29,778 physicians, of whom 548 were otolaryngologists. UPCs described concerns with treatment (45%), communication (19%), accessibility (18%), concern for patients and families (10%), and billing (8%). Twenty-nine (5.3%) otolaryngologists were associated with 848 of 3659 (23.2%) total UPCs. Male sex and graduation from a US medical school were statistically significantly associated with an increased number of UPCs ( P = .0070 and P = .0036, respectively). Twenty-nine otolaryngologists with UPCs at or above the 95th percentile received peer-comparative feedback. The intervention led to an overall decrease in the number of UPCs following intervention ( P = .049). Twenty otolaryngologists (69%) categorized as "responders" reduced the number of complaints an average of 45% in the first 2 years following intervention. DISCUSSION: Physician demographic data can be used to identify otolaryngologists with a greater number of UPCs. Most commonly, UPCs expressed concern regarding treatment. Peer-delivered, comparative feedback can be effective in reducing UPCs in high-risk otolaryngologists. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Systematic monitoring and respectful sharing of peer-comparative patient complaint data offers an intervention associated with UPCs and concomitant malpractice risk reduction. Collegial feedback over time increases the response rate, but a small proportion of physicians will require directive interventions.

Unsolicited Patient Complaints Identify Physicians with Evidence of Neurocognitive Disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Determine whether words contained in unsolicited patient complaints differentiate physicians with and without neurocognitive disorders (NCD). METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study using data from 144 healthcare organizations that participate in the Patient Advocacy Reporting System program. Cases (physicians with probable or possible NCD) and two comparison groups of 60 physicians each (matched for age/sex and site/number of unsolicited patient complaints) were identified from 33,814 physicians practicing at study sites. We compared the frequency of words in patient complaints related to an NCD diagnostic domain between cases and our two comparison groups. RESULTS: Individual words were all statistically more likely to appear in patient complaints for cases (73% of cases had at least one such word) compared to age/sex matched (8%, p < 0.001 using Pearson's χ2 test, χ2 = 30.21, df = 1) and site/complaint matched comparisons (18%, p < 0.001 using Pearson's χ2 test, χ2 = 17.51, df = 1). Cases were significantly more likely to have at least one complaint with any word describing NCD than the two comparison groups combined (conditional logistic model adjusted odds ratio 20.0 [95% confidence interval 4.9-81.7]). CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of words in unsolicited patient complaints found that descriptions of interactions with physicians with NCD were significantly more likely to include words from one of the diagnostic domains for NCD than were two different comparison groups. Further research is needed to understand whether patients might provide information for healthcare organizations interested in identifying professionals with evidence of cognitive impairment.

Association Between Ophthalmologist Age and Unsolicited Patient Complaints.

IMPORTANCE: Understanding the distribution of patient complaints by physician age may provide insight into common patient concerns characteristic of early, middle, and late stages of careers in ophthalmology. Most previous studies of patient dissatisfaction have not addressed the association with physician age or controlled for other characteristics (eg, practice setting, subspecialty) that may contribute to the likelihood of patient complaints, unsafe care, and lawsuits. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between ophthalmologist age and the likelihood of generating unsolicited patient complaints (UPCs) among a cohort of ophthalmologists. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective cohort study with variable duration of follow-up. The study assessed time to first complaint between 2002 and 2015 in 1342 attending ophthalmologists or neuro-ophthalmologists who had graduated from medical school before 2010 and were affiliated with an organization that participates in Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Patient Advocacy Reporting System. Participants were stratified into 5 age bands and were followed up from the time of their employment to receipt of their first complaint. Trained coders categorized UPCs into 34 specific types under 6 major categories. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Time to first recorded complaint. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to measure the association between time to first complaint and ophthalmologist age after adjustment for predetermined covariates. RESULTS: The median physician age was 47 years, with 9% who were 71 years or older. The cohort was 74% male, 90% held MD degrees, and 73% practiced in academic medical centers. The mean follow-up period was 9.8 years. Ophthalmologists older than 70 years had the lowest complaint rate (0.71 per 1000 follow-up days vs 1.41, 1.84, 2.02, and 1.88 in descending order of age band). By 2000 days of follow-up (or within 5.5 years), the youngest group had an estimated UPC risk of 0.523. By 4000 days (>10 years), participants in the older than 70 years age band had an estimated risk of UPC of only 0.364. The 2 youngest age bands were associated with a statistically significant shorter time to first complaint. Compared with those aged 71 years or older, the risk of incurring a UPC for those aged 41 to 50 years was 1.73-fold higher (hazard ratio [HR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.21-2.46; P = .002). Similarly, participants aged 31 to 40 years had a 2.36 times higher risk of incurring a UPC (HR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.64-3.40; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study suggests that older ophthalmologists are less likely to receive UPCs than younger ones. Although limitations in the study design could affect the interpretation of these conclusions, the findings may have practical implications for patient safety, clinical education, and clinical practice management.

Use of Unsolicited Patient Observations to Identify Surgeons With Increased Risk for Postoperative Complications.

Importance: Unsolicited patient observations are associated with risk of medical malpractice claims. Because lawsuits may be triggered by an unexpected adverse outcome superimposed on a strained patient-physician relationship, a question remains as to whether behaviors that generate patient dissatisfaction might also contribute to the genesis of adverse outcomes themselves. Objective: To examine whether patients of surgeons with a history of higher numbers of unsolicited patient observations are at greater risk for postoperative complications than patients whose surgeons generate fewer such unsolicited patient observations. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from 7 academic medical centers participating in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and the Vanderbilt Patient Advocacy Reporting System from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013. Patients older than 18 years included in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program who underwent inpatient or outpatient operations at 1 of the participating sites during the study period were included. Patients were excluded if the attending surgeon had less than 24 months of data in the Vanderbilt Patient Advocacy Reporting System preceding the date of the operation. Data analysis was conducted from June 1, 2015, to October 20, 2016. Exposures: Unsolicited patient observations for the patient's surgeon in the 24 months preceding the date of the operation. Main Outcomes and Measures: Postoperative surgical or medical complications as defined by the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program within 30 days of the operation of interest. Results: Among the 32 125 patients in the cohort (13 230 men, 18 895 women; mean [SD] age, 55.8 [15.8] years), 3501 (10.9%) experienced a complication, including 1754 (5.5%) surgical and 2422 (7.5%) medical complications. Prior unsolicited patient observations for a surgeon were significantly associated with the risk of a patient having any complication (odds ratio, 1.0063; 95% CI, 1.0004-1.0123; P = .03), any surgical complication (odds ratio, 1.0104; 95% CI, 1.0022-1.0186; P = .01), any medical complication (odds ratio, 1.0079; 95% CI, 1.0009-1.0148; P = .03), and being readmitted (odds ratio, 1.0088, 95% CI, 1.0024-1.0151; P = .007). The adjusted rate of complications was 13.9% higher for patients whose surgeon was in the highest quartile of unsolicited patient observations compared with patients whose surgeon was in the lowest quartile. Conclusions and Relevance: Patients whose surgeons have large numbers of unsolicited patient observations in the 24 months prior to the patient's operation are at increased risk of surgical and medical complications. Efforts to promote patient safety and address risk of malpractice claims should continue to focus on surgeons' ability to communicate respectfully and effectively with patients and other medical professionals.

Academic Urological Surgeons have Greater Exposure to Risk Management Activity than Community Urological Surgeons: An Empirical Analysis of Patient Complaint Data.

INTRODUCTION: Previous research reveals associations between patient complaints and urological subspecialty, but relationships between complaints and practice environments have gone untested. In this study we explored whether associations exist between the types and rates of patient complaints filed against urological surgeons and their practice environments, defined as academic (medical school faculty) or community (independent medical group members). Complaints are a surrogate for malpractice litigation risk, so understanding the variables that drive complaints may suggest risk reduction interventions. METHODS: In this retrospective, exploratory study we examined 2,883 unsolicited patient complaints about 357 urologists affiliated with organizations partnering with the Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy. Overall 222 (62%) urologists were practicing in 16 academic medical center systems and 135 (38%) in 11 community systems that recorded complaints from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2014. Specific concerns about urologists were counted. Complaint type profiles were generated using a standardized coding system. Statistical analyses tested associations among practice environment (academic vs community), complaint counts and distribution of complaints by type. RESULTS: Academic urologists had more complaints per physician than their community colleagues (Z = 2.53, p <0.05). They also had more complaints about care/treatment, communication (p <0.05) and access issues (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Academic urologists are associated with more patient complaints than community urologists, suggesting greater exposure to medical malpractice claims. Concerns regarding access, communication and the care that patients received appear to drive this discrepancy. Personal practice and clinical management solutions designed to improve these elements of patient experiences, especially access, may help reduce medical malpractice claims related activity.

Using Coworker Observations to Promote Accountability for Disrespectful and Unsafe Behaviors by Physicians and Advanced Practice Professionals.

BACKGROUND: Health care team members are well positioned to observe disrespectful and unsafe conduct-behaviors known to undermine team function. Based on experience in sharing patient complaints with physicians who subsequently achieved decreased complaints and malpractice risk, Vanderbilt University Medical Center developed and assessed the feasibility of the Co-Worker Observation Reporting System(SM) (CORS (SM)) for addressing coworkers' reported concerns. METHODS: VUMC leaders used a "Project Bundle" readiness assessment, which entailed identification and development of key people, organizational supports, and systems. Methods involved gaining leadership buy-in, recruiting and training key individuals, aligning the project with organizational values and policies, promoting reporting, monitoring reports, and employing a tiered intervention process to address reported coworker concerns. RESULTS: Peer messengers shared coworker reports with the physicians and advanced practice professionals associated with at least one report 84% of the time. Since CORS inception, 3% of the medical staff was associated with a pattern of CORS reports, and 71% of recipients of pattern-related interventions were not named in any subsequent reports in a one-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic monitoring of documented co-worker observations about unprofessional conduct and sharing that information with involved professionals are feasible. Feasibility requires organizationwide implementation; co-workers willing and able to share respectful, nonjudgmental, timely feedback designed initially to encourage self-reflection; and leadership committed to be more directive if needed. Follow-up surveillance indicates that the majority of professionals "self-regulate" after receiving CORS data.

Unsolicited Patient Complaints in Ophthalmology: An Empirical Analysis from a Large National Database.

PURPOSE: The number of unsolicited patient complaints about a physician has been shown to correlate with increased malpractice risk. Using a large national patient complaint database, we evaluated the number and content of unsolicited patient complaints about ophthalmologists to identify significant risk factors for receiving a complaint. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Ophthalmologists, nonophthalmic surgeons, nonophthalmic nonsurgeons. METHODS: We analyzed 2087 unsolicited or spontaneous complaints reported about 815 ophthalmologists practicing in 24 academic and nonacademic organizations using the Patient Advocacy Reporting System (PARS). Complaints against 5273 nonophthalmic surgeons and 19487 nonophthalmic nonsurgeons during the same period were used for comparison. Complaint type profiles were assigned using a previously validated standardized coding system. We (1) described the distribution of complaints against ophthalmologists; (2) compared the distribution and rates of patient complaints about ophthalmologists with those of nonophthalmic surgeons and nonophthalmic nonsurgeons in the database; (3) analyzed differences in complaint type profiles and quantity of complaints by ophthalmic subspecialty, practice setting, physician gender, medical school type, and graduation date; and (4) identified significant risk factors for high numbers of unsolicited patient complaints after adjusting for other covariates. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Unsolicited patient complaints. RESULTS: Ophthalmologists had significantly fewer complaints per physician than other nonophthalmic surgeons and nonsurgeons. Sixty-three percent of ophthalmologists had 0 complaints, whereas 10% of ophthalmologists accounted for 61% of all complaints. Ophthalmologists from academic centers, female ophthalmologists, and younger ophthalmologists had significantly more complaints (P < 0.01), and general ophthalmologists had significantly fewer complaints than subspecialists (P < 0.05). After adjusting for covariates using multivariable analysis, working at an academic center was a statistically significant risk factor (adjusted relative risk, 1.82; 95% confidence interval, 1.36-2.43; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmologists had significantly fewer complaints than nonophthalmic surgeons and nonophthalmic nonsurgeons, and by implication may have a lower malpractice risk as a group. Nevertheless, a small number of ophthalmologists generated a disproportionate number of complaints. Working at an academic center was a significant independent risk factor for having more patient complaints. Further research is needed to clarify the underlying reasons for this association and to identify interventions that may decrease this risk.

Patient Complaints and Adverse Surgical Outcomes.

One factor that affects surgical team performance is unprofessional behavior exhibited by the surgeon, which may be observed by patients and families and reported to health care organizations in the form of spontaneous complaints. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between patient complaints and adverse surgical outcomes. A retrospective cohort study used American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data from an academic medical center and included 10 536 patients with surgical procedures performed by 66 general and vascular surgeons. The number of complaints for a surgeon was correlated with surgical occurrences (P < .01). Surgeons with more patient complaints had a greater rate of surgical occurrences if the surgeon's aggregate preoperative risk was higher (ß = .25, P < .05), whereas there was no statistically significant relationship between patient complaints and surgical occurrences for surgeons with lower aggregate perioperative risk (ß = -.20, P = .77).

Stuck in a moment: an ex ante analysis of patient complaints in plastic surgery, used to predict malpractice risk profiles, from a large cohort of physicians in the patient advocacy reporting system.

INTRODUCTION: Unsolicited patient complaints (UPCs) serve as a powerful predictor of increased risk of malpractice claims, and reductions in UPCs, through targeted physician interventions, lower incidence of lawsuits and decrease cost of risk management. We analyzed UPCs, verified by trained counselors in patient relations, to determine the malpractice risk of plastic surgeons, compared to dermatologists, all surgeons, and all physicians, from a national patient complaint registry. METHODS: We examined the patient complaint profiles and risk scores of 31,077 physicians (3935 surgeons, 338 plastic and reconstructive surgeons, and 519 dermatologists), who participated in the Patient Advocacy Reporting System, a national registry of UPCs. Patient complaint data were collected from 70 community and academic hospitals across 29 states, from 2009 to 2012. In addition to determining the specific complaint mix for plastic surgery compared to all physicians, each physician was assigned a patient complaint risk score, based on a proprietary weighted-sum algorithm, with a score higher than 70, indicative of high risk for malpractice claims. Patient complaint profiles and risk scores were compared between all groups, using Wilcoxon rank and χ analysis. P values less than 0.05 were assigned statistical significance. RESULTS: Over this 4-year period, the majority of plastic surgeons (50.8%) did not generate any patient complaints, but those who did received an average of 9.8 complaints from 4.8 patients. The percentage of physicians at high risk for malpractice claims, based upon the Patient Advocacy Reporting System index score of patient complaints, was as follows: all physicians, 2.0%; all surgeons, 4.1%; plastic and reconstructive surgeons, 2.4%; dermatologists, 1.4%. Physicians (from 2012 only) who were identified by their sponsoring institutions as "reconstructive" plastic surgeons (n = 41) were 5 times as likely to have a high risk score, compared to physicians who were identified as "plastic" surgeons (n = 233), and were more likely to practice within an academic health care system that had a level 1 trauma center and a plastic surgery residency program. The overall mix of patient complaints from plastic and reconstructive surgeons was nearly the same as the national cohort of all physicians: care and treatment, 49%; communication, 19%; accessibility and availability, 14%; money or payment issues, 9%; and concern for patient/family, 9%. CONCLUSIONS: "Reconstructive" plastic surgeons are at increased risk for UPCs, compared to most physicians, especially dermatologists. Because UPCs are a robust proxy for malpractice risk, targeted interventions to decrease patient complaints may improve patient satisfaction and reduce malpractice claims and risk management activity. Monitoring UPCs may permit early identification of high-risk surgeons before malpractice claims accumulate.

An intervention model that promotes accountability: peer messengers and patient/family complaints.

BACKGROUND: Patients and their families are well positioned to partner with health care organizations to help identify unsafe and dissatisfying behaviors and performance. A peer messenger process was designed by the Center for Professional and Patient Advocacy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, Tennessee) to address "high-risk" physicians identified through analysis of unsolicited patient complaints, a proxy for risk of lawsuits. METHODS: This retrospective, descriptive study used peer messenger debriefing results from data-driven interventions at 16 geographically disparate community (n = 7) and academic (n = 9) medical centers in the United States. Some 178 physicians served as peer messengers, conducting interventions from 2005, through 2009 on 373 physicians identified as high risk. RESULTS: Most (97%) of the high-risk physicians received the feedback professionally, and 64% were "Responders." Responders' risk scores improved at least 15%, where Nonresponders' scores worsened (17%) or remained unchanged (19%) (p < or = .001). Responders were more often physicians practicing in medicine and surgery than emergency medicine physicians, had longer organizational tenures, and engaged in lengthier first-time intervention meetings with messengers. Years to achieve responder status correlated positively with initial communication-related complaints (r = .32, p < .001), but all complaint categories were equally likely to change over time. CONCLUSIONS: Peer messengers, recognized by leaders and appropriately supported with ongoing training, high-quality data, and evidence of positive outcomes, are willing to intervene with colleagues over an extended period of time. The physician peer messenger process reduces patient complaints and is adaptable to addressing unnecessary variation in other quality/safety metrics.

An analysis of risk factors for patient complaints about ambulatory anesthesiology care.

BACKGROUND: Anesthesiology groups continually seek data sources and evaluation metrics for ongoing professional practice evaluation, credentialing, and other quality initiatives. The analysis of patient complaints associated with physicians has been previously shown to be a marker for patient dissatisfaction and a predictor of malpractice claims. Additionally, previous studies in other specialties have revealed a nonuniform distribution of complaints among professionals. In this study, we describe the distribution of complaints among anesthesia providers and identify factors associated with complaint risk in pediatric and adult populations. METHODS: We performed an analysis of a complaint database for an academic medical center. Complaints were recorded as comments during postoperative telephone calls to ambulatory surgery patients regarding the quality of their anesthesiology care. Calls between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2010 were included. Risk factors were grouped into 3 categories: patient demographics, procedural, and provider characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 22,871 calls placed on behalf of 120 anesthesiologists were evaluated, of which 307 yielded a complaint. There was no evidence of provider-to-provider heterogeneity in complaint risk in the pediatric population. In the adult population, an unadjusted test for the random intercept variance component in the mixed effects model pointed toward significant heterogeneity (P = 0.01); however, after adjusting for a prespecified set of risk factors, provider-to-provider heterogeneity was no longer observed (P = 0.20). Several risk factors exhibited evidence for complaint risk. In the pediatric patient model, risk factors associated with complaint risk included a 10-year change in age, the use of general anesthesia (versus not), and a 1-hour change in the actual minus scheduled start times. Odds ratios were 1.47 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-2.08), 0.22 (95% CI, 0.07-0.62), and 1.27 (95% CI, 1.10-1.47), respectively. In the adult patient model, risk factors associated with complaint risk included male gender, general anesthesia, a 10-year change in provider experience, and speaking with the patient (rather than a family member). Odd ratios were 0.66 (95% CI, 0.47-0.92), 0.67 (95% CI, 0.47-0.95), 1.18 (95% CI, 1.01-1.38), and 1.96 (95% CI, 1.17-3.29), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There was apparent evidence in adult patients to suggest heterogeneity in provider risk for a patient complaint. However, once patient, procedural, and provider factors were acknowledged in analyses, such evidence for heterogeneity is diminished substantially. Further study into how and why these factors are associated with greater complaint risk may reveal potential interventions to decrease complaints.