How common are Medico-legal issues among Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Ethiopia: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: One of the common challenges encountered by the Obstetrics and Gynecology (ObGyn) specialists is medico-legal issues including litigations for medical malpractice, lawsuits for medical errors and others. The magnitude of the challenges, perceptions and concerns are not well known. This study looked at these factors. Methods: a cross-sectional assessment of current encounters, experiences and perceptions of practicing ObGyn physicians who attended the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists conference in February 2016. A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics were done to determine the magnitude of the different issues in relation to medico-legal issues. Results: A total of 112 obstetricians and gynecologists (OBGYNs) were interviewed, median age of the participants was 40 years and only 8.9% were women. Close to half of them worked in Addis Ababa and the same proportion worked in the public sector. Nearly a third (34.8%) admitted making at least one error, 21.4% have been accused of malpractice, 21.4% were questioned by police/attorney and 6.3% were imprisoned. 83.3% of those who were questioned were declared free. 83% claimed to know someone who was accused of malpractice unfairly. Only 55.4% were aware of the role of the federal ethics committee. Conclusions: Many ObGyns are neither knowledgeable nor ready for management of medical error. There is a huge concern about the fairness of the treatment they receive for medical error lawsuits. Fear of litigation is enormous. Improving awareness about medical errors and their management paired with creating clarity on the roles of the federal ethics committee is highly needed. Bridging the gap between the judiciary system and the ObGyn society and addressing the disparity between the perceived susceptibility and the reality are crucial.