Analysis of the characteristics, efficiency, and influencing factors of third-party mediation mechanisms for resolving medical disputes in public hospitals in China

Abstract

Abstract Background Medical disputes, which are prevalent in China, are a growing global public health problem. The Chinese government has proposed third-party mediation (TPM) to resolve this issue. However, the characteristics, efficiency, and influencing factors of TPM in resolving medical disputes in public hospitals in China have yet to be determined. Methods We conducted a systematic study using TPM records from medical disputes in Gansu Province in China from 2014 to 2019. A χ2 test was used to compare differences between groups, and binary logistic analysis was performed to determine the factors influencing the choice of TPM for resolving medical disputes. Results We analyzed 5,948 TPM records of medical disputes in Gansu Province in China. The number of medical disputes and the amount of compensation awarded in public hospitals in the Gansu Province increased annually from 2014 to 2019, with most of the disputes occurring in secondary and tertiary hospitals. Approximately 89.01% of the medical disputes were handled by TPM; the average compensation amount with TPM was Chinese Yuan (CNY) 48,688.73, significantly less than that awarded via court judgment and judicial mediation. TPM was more likely to succeed in settling medical disputes in the < CNY10,000 compensation group than in the no-compensation group (odds ratio [OR] = 3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.53–6.45). However, as the compensation amount increased, the likelihood of choosing TPM decreased significantly. Moreover, TPM was less likely to be chosen when medical disputes did not involve death (OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.36–0.45) or when no-fault liability was determined (vs. medical accidents; OR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.20–0.67). Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that TPM mechanisms play a positive role in efficiently reducing compensation amounts and increasing medical dispute resolution rates which was the main settlement method in resolving medical disputes in public hospitals of Gansu Province in China. TPM could help greatly reduce conflicts between doctors and patients, avoid litigation, and save time and costs for both parties. Moreover, compensation amounts, non-fatal outcomes, and no-fault liability determinations influence the choice of TPM for settling medical disputes.