Criminal cases against anesthesiologists and intensivists in Russia for 2019–2022: a retrospective observational study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The number of criminal cases brought against doctors — anesthesiologists and resuscitators in the Russian Federation is not decreasing. However, a detailed analysis has not been carried out in recent years, and this was primarily due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection COVID-19 and the restrictions that were associated with it. OBJECTIVE: To analyze criminal cases against anesthesiologists and resuscitators initiated under various articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation over the past four years, from 2019 to 2022. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The search for criminal cases was carried out in the following electronic databases: “Court decisions of the Russian Federation” and the State Automated System of the Russian Federation “Justice”. Based on the search results, 66 criminal cases against anesthesiologists and resuscitators were considered. RESULTS: The main articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation were identified, under which anesthesiologists and resuscitators are most often held accountable. The gender and territorial distribution of criminal cases by region of the Russian Federation is presented. The most significant and frequently committed defects in the provision of medical care have been identified. Examples of the most complex criminal cases are given. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that the number of criminal cases against anesthesiologists and resuscitators has decreased slightly after 2019, however, we believe that this is due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection, and for this reason many court cases are still under investigation and have not been completed on time.