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Contentious matters between doctors and patients in the orthopaedic and traumatology surgery activity of a regional university hospital

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Abstract

The medical art is more and more legally regulated. The case-law about civil medical liability has widely changed these past years. The reversal of the burden of proof regarding patient’s information, the presumption of responsibility in case of nosocomial infection, the medical liability without fault, the therapeutic risk and finally the law of 4 March 2002 are just a few examples of these changes. Regarding this judicial tendency of the medical practice, it appears interesting to study the contentious matters between doctors and patients in the orthopaedic and traumatologic surgery activity of a regional university hospital. Over a 20-year-period activity, at a rate of 3,000 patients per year, we found 20 files. The first complaints occurred 12 years after the medical event; they have become more frequent in the past 3 years. The most frequent reasons of complaint are the nosocomial infections and the lack of information to the patients. The rare medical errors could have had less effect if discussed beforehand with the patients. Nowadays fact sheets are available to the public and the committee for the prevention of nosocomial infection (CLIN) is positively involved. The complaints’ handling process is still slow, and therefore delays the compensation of victims. The increasing number of complaints made to the Regional commission for conciliation and compensation (CRCI) could be a solution to address those delays.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedics Unit B, Roger Salengro Hospital, 59037, Lille cedex, France

    A. Hans-Moevi Akue, M. Limousin, G. Wavreille, C. Fontaine, Ph. Laffargue & C. Chantelot

Authors
  1. A. Hans-Moevi Akue
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  2. M. Limousin
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  3. G. Wavreille
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  4. C. Fontaine
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  5. Ph. Laffargue
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  6. C. Chantelot
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. Chantelot.

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Hans-Moevi Akue, A., Limousin, M., Wavreille, G. et al. Contentious matters between doctors and patients in the orthopaedic and traumatology surgery activity of a regional university hospital. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 18, 449–453 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-008-0336-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-008-0336-3

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