Table 3.

All Noncosmetic Procedure Medico-legal Complaints Compared with Noncosmetic Procedures with Unfavorable Medico-legal Outcome for Surgeons

All Noncosmetic Medico-legal Complaints		Noncosmetic Medico-legal Complaints with Unfavorable Medico-legal Outcome for Surgeons
Top procedures	n = 161	Top procedures	n = 71
Breast	34 (21.1%)	Breast	12 (16.9%)
Hand	26 (16.1%)	Hand	21 (29.6%)
General reconstruction	16 (9.9%)
Top allegations	n = 161	Top allegations	n = 71
Deficient clinical assessment	55 (34.2%)	Deficient clinical assessment	<10
Delayed or misdiagnosis	50 (31.1%)	Delayed or misdiagnosis	11(15.5%)
Inadequate informed consent	29 (18.0%)	Inadequate informed consent	<10
Healthcare-related patient harm	n = 161	Healthcare-related patient harm	n = 71
Any harm	95 (59.0%)	Any harm	53 (74.6%)
Preventable harm	68 (42.2%)	Preventable harm	≥44 (62.0%)
Top contributing factor	n = 89	Top contributing factor	n = 68
Deficient clinical decision making	37 (41.6%)	Deficient clinical decision making	27 (39.7%)
Inadequate documentation	27 (30.3%)	Inadequate documentation	20 (29.4%)
Physician–patient communication	22 (24.7%)	Physician–patient communication	21 (30.9%)