Professional liability payments in obstetrics and gynecology

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the percentage of subspecialists in obstetrics and gynecology who made payments on professional liability claims was less than the percentage of general obstetrician-gynecologists who made payments. METHODS: Professional liability payment data from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine was used. RESULTS: During the 10 years preceding August 2005, 38.6% of obstetrician-gynecologists and 32.2% of gynecologists made at least 1 professional liability payment. During the same time period, the percentage of subspecialists who made a payment was significantly less than obstetrician-gynecologists: gynecologic oncologists 10.0% (P = .012), maternal-fetal medicine 3.7% (P = .002), and reproductive endocrinologists 11.9% (P = .016). Using aggregate payment data for the period 1994-2003, the average payment per claim for specialists in maternal-fetal medicine ($1,950,000) and gynecologic oncology ($1,014,006) were above the average payment per claim for obstetrician-gynecologists ($447,983) or gynecologists ($400,338). Reproductive endocrinologists had an average payment per claim of $454,047. CONCLUSION: All specialists in the field of obstetrics and gynecology have major professional liability risks. Among subspecialists in obstetrics and gynecology, the favorable trend toward fewer physicians making payments is counterbalanced by greater payments per lost claim.