The older a radiologist, the more likely they will face a lawsuit, according to recent data published from the American Medical Association’s (AMA) 2016 Physician Practice Benchmark survey.
A staggering 54 percent of radiologists over the age of 55 have experienced a lawsuit, according to the survey. Meanwhile, 23 percent of radiologists under the age of 55 have been sued.
“The probability of getting sued increases with age,” the report stated. “This is not surprising given that older physicians have had more exposure to risk of lawsuits because they have been practicing for longer periods of time.”
Radiologists are the fifth highest group of physicians who have ever been sued during their time in practice. Approximately 38 percent of radiologists have ever been sued during their careers, 26 percentage points below than obstetrics and gynecology, the most frequently sued specialty.
The survey also found that 21 percent of radiologists have been sued twice or more during their time in practice and for every 100 radiologists, there were 82 lawsuit claims.
As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.