Malpractice claims of Gynecologists received by Medical Council, Tehran, 1992-96

During the recent years, claims of gynecologists’ malpractice have increased in our country. In western societies, claims of gynecologists are the most frequent type of medical malpractice claims. This increment in malpractice claims was not only unable to reduce the number of complications in gynecology, but also has decreased physician’s tendency to gynecology, increase cesarean sections and rejecting high risk patients. We have reviewed the malpractice claims of gynecologists received by medical council in Tehran between 1992 till 1996. Totally, 1537 claims have been received, of which 1116 (72.6%) were related to surgeons and 213 (13.8%) to gynecologists. Of 213 claims, 31% were related to public hospitals whereas 30% and 39% were related to private hospitals and private clinics, respectively. 89% of claims were developed due to not observing basic scientific rules, 7.5% were due to financial violations, 3% due to ethical problems and the remaining 0.5% were due to hospital mismanagement. Physicians should practice according to the basic scientific, ethical and legal rules in order not to be accused by Medical Council meanwhile, they must not try to practice unless they have been fully experienced.