Depressive symptoms in women experiencing intimate partner violence

The study was a cross-sectional examination of African American women positive for intimate partner violence (IPV) who presented to the medical or psychiatric emergency department (ED) for treatment. African American women with a recent history of IPV who presented following an attempted suicide (n = 100) were compared to demographically comparable African American women who were IPV positive who had not attempted suicide and presented for treatment of another condition(n= 100). Women completed face-to-face interviews on several measures, including demographics and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Overall, there were no demographic differences between cases and controls. Attempters reported statistically significant higher scores on all 21 BDI-II items than did nonattempters. Four BDI-II items had effect size values in the medium range: sadness, self-dislike, suicidal thoughts, and feelings of worthlessness. These four items can be used as a brief screen in the ED to detect female patients positive for IPV at increased risk for suicidal behavior.     

论医疗注意义务与医疗过失的认定

无论基于医疗契约还是医疗侵权关系，医疗过失的认定标准、考量因素、考察范围都趋于一致。应确定相对客观的医疗过失判定标准，在具体考量时还应兼顾医疗水准等诸多主客观因素。应立足于医院作为医疗损害赔偿责任的“一元”主体，分别从医疗行为和医疗辅助行为去查找医疗过失。审判实务中对医疗过失的认定过分依赖鉴定的流弊应当予以矫正，而应将医疗过失的认定权回归法庭，并辅之以组建专业审判庭、引入专家证人制度作为法庭认定医疗过失的专业保障。     

论医疗责任保险——从法律经济学的角度切入

医疗责任保险是从国外引入的一种制度,目的之初在于,将医师的过错责任诱发的巨大风险社会化,以期医师安心于治理病患,而病患通过保险获得相应的保险费用保障自身的权益,缓和较为尖锐的医患关系和社会矛盾。但医疗责任保险发展的现实情况却是极其不理想的,学界对于医疗责任改革已有基本共识,具体设计上却甚少有人提出更为细致的建议。可以从法律经济学这个分析的全新视角,借助成本效益、纳什均衡、博弈的思维进路,以期为医疗责任保险制度的设计另辟蹊径。     

Reconsidering medical malpractice reform: the case for arbitration and transparency in non-emergent contexts

This Article proposes a two-pronged legislative response to the current debate over medical malpractice insurance. The author does not advocate mandatory caps on malpractice damages, nor the imposition of a uniform regime on the field of medicine. Rather, he articulates some of the important legal, medical, and societal benefits that would come from embracing arbitration in the non-emergent medical malpractice context. The author also calls for the reformulation of the National Practitioner Data Bank to achieve greater transparentcy and to leverage advances in information technology and data-mining software to measure the risk levels of individual practitioners. This reform, in turn, would open up the possibility of greater subcategorization of premiums and more effective deterrence in medical malpractice insurance.     

医疗损害证明责任分配规则研究

证明责任在医疗损害赔偿纠纷中发挥着风险分配的重要作用,我国近十年的立法充分利用证明责任分配规则来体现立法政策的转变。早期立法体现的证明责任倒置规则导致了大量的非合理性医疗行为,这在更大范围内损害患者的利益。《侵权责任法》矫正了这种倾向,《侵权责任法》根据各种具体情形,规定了更为详细的归责要件,相应地,证明责任分配规则也更加详细具体,较好地分配了医疗风险,平衡了医患双方的诉讼负担。     

Medical negligence in drug associated deaths

According to epidemiological studies adverse drug events are one of the most frequently encountered complications during medical treatment, a leading cause of hospitalisation and frequent cause of death. However, medical malpractice claims due to medication errors seem to be relatively rare. Based on a retrospective multicentre study on medical malpractice cases with lethal outcome (n = 4450), drug related cases (n = 575) were further evaluated. In 50% of cases a causal connection between drug therapy and death could be ruled out already after autopsy. In 232 cases a causal connection between drug therapy and death could be approved (drug allergies, relative overdose, wrong application, mix-up of drugs and sepsis after injection abscess). However, within the legal context only in 70 cases a medication error was approved which was in 42 cases causal for death, in 28 not. Administration of contraindicated drugs, incorrect application and relative overdose in renal insufficiency are the prevalent mistakes. Concerning the frequency of ADE in epidemiological studies medication errors are underreported in all data sources on medical malpractice; this seems to be due to the fact that even doctors and attending physicians rarely recognize an ADE; furthermore approving the connection between drug effect and death is extremely difficult for the expert witness.     

医疗纠纷中篡改病历相关法律责任研究

病历是医院最常见的文书之一。在法律上,病历也充当着重要的证据作用。在医疗纠纷中,病历是一把双刃剑,高质量的病历可以是医务人员的保护伞,反之则会是其最大的敌人。但是在医务人员在医疗纠纷中篡改病历的现象并不少见。关于篡改的病历的证据作用以及对相关人员的处理,国内外学者存在着不同的认识。     

"Magical thinking," suicide, and malpractice litigation

Prospective clinical assessment of suicidality differs significantly from that used retrospectively in malpractice litigation. In the latter context, the judge or jury may be susceptible to hindsight reasoning and a disproportionate emphasis on the specific method of suicide, exaggerating its foreseeability and "magically" linking the means of death to the treating clinician, especially in the case of suicide by an overdose of prescribed medication. Such magical thinking, moreover, is rooted in the clinical context of suicide: The errors of reasoning observed in the courtroom exhibit striking parallels with the mind-set of the suicidal patient. An understanding of these dynamics suggests appropriate precautions for the clinician and thus contributes to the prevention both of suicide and of malpractice litigation.     

Suicidal behavior among low-income, African American female victims of intimate terrorism and situational couple violence

This study examined risk of suicidal behavior among low-income, African American women (N = 369) in three types of male intimate relationships- intimate terrorism (IT) (i.e., physical violence used within a general pattern of coercive control), situational couple violence (SCV; i.e., episodic physical violence that is not part of a general pattern of coercive control), and nonviolent (NV; i.e., no physical violence). IT victims had more than double the odds of suicidal behavior compared to SCV victims and this association remained significant after controlling for physical violence severity, depression symptoms, and alcohol and drug abuse. Risk of suicidal behavior was not significantly different for SCV victims compared to women in NV relationships. Findings emphasize the need for researchers and practitioners to distinguish between types of male partner violence when examining its context and consequences for female victims.     

对新时期医疗纠纷鉴定制度模式的多维思考

本文针对法院需要借助医疗行为过错鉴定对医疗纠纷民事侵权诉讼中医疗行为过错进行认定,而现行的医疗事故技术鉴定范围过窄,法医进行的司法鉴定不可避免地存在局限性和片面性,均不能从事医疗行为过错鉴定的现况,笔者提出应扩大目前医学会组织专家从事医疗事故技术鉴定的范围,建立新型医事鉴定制度,增加吸收法医常规参加医疗行为过错鉴定的思考,使鉴定工作与民事诉讼相对接,以利于法院审判,有助于化解争端。     

The structure of medical malpractice decision-making in Japan

The article summarises the problems in the medical malpractice litigation systems in the United Kingdom and Japan, demonstrating the similarities and identifying the length of time between initiating an action and its decision and other factors responsible for lengthy litigation. Based on analysis of decisions of medical malpractice cases between 1986 and 1998 in Japan, the functioning of the Japanese medical malpractice litigation system is discussed. Lengthy litigation is shown to be correlated with outcome and implies that the Japanese medical dispute resolution mechanism favours those who can endure lengthy litigation, namely the defendants, who are physicians or hospitals. In view of the similarities between the two systems, it is likely that the same bias--that the wealthier party in the litigation is more likely to win the case--also occurs in medical malpractice litigation in the United Kingdom and Australia.     

Health law and mental health law courses in US medical schools

Results of a recent survey of all 127 medical schools in the United States indicate that about two fifths of medical schools offer a separate course that focuses on topics in medicine and law and a number of medical schools integrate health law topics into other courses. Presumably reflecting concern over temporary medical malpractice litigation, most health law courses include informed consent, medical malpractice, privileged/confidential information, and patients' rights. In contrast, schools that offer a course on psychiatry and law are clearly in a minority. It is elective at all but two of the 13 schools with such a course. Although the hours allotted and the format of these courses vary greatly, courses typically cover most of the topics listed on the questionnaire. Most of the courses are led or co-led by a member of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Information from two additional surveys suggests two related factors that may influence a medical school to present a separate course on health law. Medical licensing boards were surveyed to determine which states require physicians to be examined on health law. In two states that require physicians to pass a separate medical jurisprudence examination for licensure, all four-year medical schools offer a course on health law for medical students. Medical malpractice companies providing coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed to determine which states have the highest claim rates. The claim rate per 1,000 physicians insured per year was significantly greater in states with health law courses than was the rate in states without such courses.     

医疗侵权证明责任分配与风险分担

医疗侵权诉讼的许多问题突出反映在证明责任分配之中。通过将程序法与实体法相联系,将私法与社会保障法相衔接,对这个问题进行了较为系统的分析和讨论,勾绘出了一个客观评判医疗侵权,合理分担医疗风险的理论框架。     

防御性医疗的经济分析——兼评《侵权责任法》第63条

防御性医疗是医疗服务提供者基于"经济人"理论与预期效用理论的理性选择。风险厌恶与预期效用最大化是防御性医疗的经济学基础。医疗过失判断的不确定性及巨额的责任风险是防御性医疗的法律制度基础。信息的不对称性及供给与需求的非市场性是防御性医疗的市场基础。它是医疗过失诉讼制度在市场经济体制下不可剥离的副产品。纯粹的禁止性立法不足以制止防御性医疗。《侵权责任法》第63条很难收到预期的立法效果,建议对医疗过失诉讼制度的运用及医疗损害赔偿的额度进行合理限制。     

侵权责任法实施后医疗事故概念的重新定义

侵权责任法实施后,医疗事故概念面临民事责任领域被弱化、行政责任领域被空位的局面。为重新找寻医疗事故在侵权责任法实施后的正确定位,在充分认识到医疗侵权损害存在民事责任与行政责任的聚合、医疗侵权损害民事责任与行政责任应当彻底分界的基础上,提出医疗事故应当重新回到行政责任概念,在此观点上对医疗事故进行了重新定义并在定义中区分了严重不负责任和重大技术缺陷的类别,强调了应受行政处罚性的特征。     

Correlations Among the HLA-DQB1 Alleles and Suicidal Behavior

Suicide is a worldwide health problem with multiple causes, including genetic factors. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is represented by an assembly of gene encoding the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). The purpose of our study was to determine associations between the HLA profiles and predisposition for suicidal behavior. We harvested blood samples from persons with history of suicidal attempts (case group) and persons never exhibiting such behavior (control group). The DNA was extracted and amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the HLA-DQB1 profiles. Statistical data processing was performed with the Epi Info program. We found that the presence of the HLA-DQB1*02 allele increases the risk of suicidal behavior, while HLA-DQB1*05 alleviates such risk. The genotype that presented the most increased risk for suicidal behavior was found to be HLA-DQB1*02/HLA-DQB1*03. Our study has demonstrated the presence of several associations between HLA profiles and suicidal behavior.     

Is there an acceptable answer to rising medical malpractice premiums?

This article explores the key issues involved in the attempts at reform of the present medical malpractice system. Investigating the effects that federal tort reform legislation would have on physicians, patients, lawyers, and the medical malpractice insurers, Dr. Gunnar succinctly outlines the issues surrounding the present "crisis in healthcare" and explores the separate interests involved. The article examines the economic forces influencing the medical malpractice insurance industry, reviews previous tort reform, and predicts the future of federal tort reform legislation. Dr. Gunnar concludes by proposing alternatives for malpractice reform.     

“过失严重度”及其在医疗事故处理中的应用

目的建立“过失严重度”这一描述医疗事故或纠纷综合严重程度的量化指标。方法“过失严重度”以事故级别系数乘以责任大小系数表示。结果经计算,共产生了15个级别的“过失严重度”,从最重的1到最轻的20。结论“过失严重度”可对不同等级、不同责任程度医疗事故的严重程度进行排序,按照这一排序,可使医疗事故与纠纷的处理更具操作性与合理性。     

医学会从事医疗损害鉴定之合法性研究

本文回顾了我国医疗纠纷鉴定体制发展历程,分析了医学会鉴定与司法鉴定的优缺点。在此基础上,认为在现阶段,医学会参与医疗损害鉴定具有一定的、但并不充分的法律依据,具有相对的合法性,医学会应属准法定鉴定部门。可以通过最高人民法院制定司法解释或卫生部制定规章的方式使其尽快转正。尽管如此,医学会作出的鉴定结论并不具有必然的证明力,其鉴定程序和鉴定书形式等亦应符合法律规定,而鉴定人署名并出庭接受质证是其鉴定结论被法院采信的前提条件。     

肿瘤患者医疗纠纷法医病理学鉴定74例分析

目的 从法医学角度分析肿瘤患者医疗纠纷的发生原因,明确医疗责任并提出相关应对措施.方法 对2000-2009年在四川华西法医学鉴定中心进行法医病理学检验的74例肿瘤患者医疗纠纷案例资料进行回顾性分析.结果 近年来肿瘤患者医疗纠纷有明显增多的趋势.常见医疗责任有漏诊、误诊、不合理的化疗、并发症的未预见等.不同级别医疗机构肿瘤相关医疗纠纷成因有所区别.外科、妇产科等科室所占比例较高.结论 通过法医病理学尸体解剖查明死亡原因,明确医疗责任,已成为肿瘤患者医疗纠纷的重要解决手段.增强服务意识,获取患者信任;加强硬件建设,改善医疗条件;重视法律法规,强化注意与告知义务,能够减少与防范医疗纠纷的发生.