Radiologists are among the medical professionals who are most likely to get sued in the U.S., according to a report published January 27 in Medscape. Still, radiology's position on the list has actually slipped compared with two years ago.
The report indicates that the percentage of radiologists who reported being sued was higher than the number of overall physician respondents who went through a malpractice suit (51%). Radiologists ranked ninth out of 29 specialities included in the report, with 76% reporting a lawsuit. This is a lower ranking than in 2019 when the field was ranked sixth.
The survey, taken between May and August of 2021, was completed by 308 radiologists based in the U.S.
Legal experts who commented on the report said radiology's slide down the list may be due to the number of imaging services being performed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking of the pandemic, 99% of radiologists who reported being sued were named in a malpractice suit for COVID-related allegations. This runs counter to expectations, according to Medscape, as 96% of radiologists who responded to the survey said they were not concerned about being named in such suits.
Out of the reasons included for radiologists being sued, "failure to diagnose" or "delayed diagnosis" was the top reason at 64%, with complications from treatment or surgery being second at 14%.
About 60% of radiologists also reported they were surprised when they were notified of lawsuits against their practice. Along with that, 81% felt that their respective lawsuit was unwarranted.
The Medscape report also indicated that radiologists spent a considerable amount of time dealing with lawsuits, with 26% saying they spent more than 40 hours on their defense. Also, 43% reported that the lawsuit process took one to two years before being resolved.
While these numbers seem unsettling, respondents also shared tips on how to deal with such suits. These ranged from being truthful and concise, being confident and staying on point, following legal advice, and easing stress by going through mock depositions.
