Table 1.
Characteristics of Emergency Physicians With and Without Malpractice Claims
| Variable | Physicians With No Malpractice Cases (N=939) | Physicians with One or More Malpractice Cases (N=90) | Odds Ratio (95% CI)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician Characteristics | |||
| Total Years in Practice (SD) | 11.8 (9.4) | 15.7 (9.2) | 1.04 (1.02–1.06) |
| Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (N, % Yes) | 758 (80.72%) | 81 (90%) | 1.14 (0.49–2.69) |
| Predominantly Night Practice (N, % Yes) | 53 (5.6%) | 6 (6.7%) | 1.31 (0.50–3.44) |
| Operational Characteristics | |||
| Total number of visits (IQR) | 7572 (3471–13501) | 13787 (10282–17352) | 1.09 (1.05–1.12)** |
| Median Monthly Physician Press-Ganey© Percentile (IQR) | 60 (25–90) | 60 (30–90) | 1.00 (0.99–1.01) |
| Median Monthly RVUs/hr (IQR) | 9.6 (8.6–10.6) | 9.78 (8.8–10.7) | 1.00 (0.87–1.15) |
| Median Monthly Admission Percentage Rate (IQR) | 20% (13.6–26.5) | 18.6% (13.4–23.8) | 2.92 (0.32–26.9) |
| Work at Multiple Facilities (N, % Yes) | 217 (23.1%) | 26 (28.9%) | 1.34 (0.63–2.87) |
| Jurisdictional Characteristic – ACEP Report Card | |||
| Grades A & B | States - 2/15 (13.3%) Physicians – 188/939 (20%) |
States - 2/15 (13.3%) Physicians – 27/90 (30%) |
Reference |
| Grades C, D & F | States - 13/15 (86.7%) Physicians – 751/939 (80%) |
States – 13/15 (86.7%) Physicians – 63/90 (70%) |
0.65 (0.27–1.54) |
SD – Standard Deviation
RVUs/hr – Relative Value Units/hour
IQR – interquartile range
ACEP – American College of Emergency Physicians
*
Odds ratios represent the results of multivariable analysis for physician-level risks of being named in one or more malpractice claims over the study period
**
Odds Ratio per 1000 Visits
Hosmer-Lemeshow Statistic for Logistic Regression Model – 8.905