Analysis of Closed Claims in Cardiovascular Medicine: Importance of Nonclinical Factors
Authors' conclusion
Clinical and nonclinical CFs are equally important for malpractice claims.
Study context
- Population
- Cardiovascular-related closed medical professional liability claims, The Doctor's Company, 2010–2023
- Participants
- 764 cardiovascular-related closed claims1,945 contributing factors (CFs)
- Outcome
- Contributing factors (CFs) associated with medical professional liability claims
Methodological detailssingle insurer
- Single insurer
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Most frequent contributing factors
- Technical performance
- 329; 43% of claims
- Patient assessment
- 242; 32%
- Management/selection of therapy
- 216; 28%
- Patient factors (mainly nonadherence to medications or instructions)
- 171 claims (22%)
- Nonclinical CFs (more frequent than clinical CFs, 787, and patient factors, 171)
- 987
- Communication between providers and patient
- 20%
- Communication among providers
- 16%
- Insufficient documentation
- 11%
- Off-shift/weekend hours
- 10%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Nonclinical CFs per claim, by payment
- Claims with payment
- 1.1/claim
- Claims without payment
- 0.64/claim
Payment by CF type
- Payment less common with technical performance or patient factor CFs; more common with patient assessment, selection/management of therapy and the 4 most frequent nonclinical CFs
Cardiovascular subspecialties
- No differences among subspecialties
Covered CV providers with closed claims · last reliable portion of the study period
- Providers with closed claims
- 3%
Original publication
Analysis of Closed Claims in Cardiovascular Medicine: Importance of Nonclinical Factors. JACC Adv. Published 22 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →