The Importance of Forensic Examination of Physician Errors in Cases of Child Death
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31149/ijimm.v4i5.2901Keywords:
Forensic Medical Examination, Physician Errors, Pediatric Mortality, Child Death, Medical Negligence, Diagnostic Errors, Clinical Assessment, Medico-Legal Investigation, Pediatric HealthcareAbstract
Physician errors in pediatric practice remain a critical issue due to their potential to lead to severe outcomes, including child mortality. The forensic medical examination of such cases plays a key role in establishing the causes and mechanisms of death, assessing the quality of medical care, and determining the presence of diagnostic or therapeutic defects. This study highlights the importance of forensic examination in cases of child death associated with suspected medical errors. The analysis focuses on identifying typical physician mistakes, including delayed diagnosis, incorrect interpretation of clinical symptoms, insufficient diagnostic evaluation, and violations of clinical protocols. Particular attention is given to the role of forensic medical expertise in determining causal relationships between medical actions and fatal outcomes, as well as in assessing the severity of medical negligence. The findings emphasize that forensic examination is an essential tool for ensuring objectivity in medico-legal investigations, improving the quality of pediatric healthcare, and preventing similar errors in the future. Strengthening interdisciplinary cooperation and standardizing forensic evaluation criteria are necessary to enhance the accuracy and reliability of expert conclusions in cases of child mortality.
References
[1] H. Singh, A. N. D. Meyer, and E. J. Thomas, “Diagnostic errors in primary care and pediatrics: implications for patient safety,” JAMA, 2021.
[2] M. L. Graber, S. Kissam, and V. L. Payne, “Cognitive interventions to reduce diagnostic error,” BMJ Quality & Safety, 2021.
[3] P. Croskerry, G. Singhal, and S. Mamede, “Cognitive debiasing 2.0: diagnostic safety in clinical practice,” Diagnosis, 2022.
[4] C. L. Cifra et al., “Diagnostic errors in pediatric critical care: systematic review,” Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 2021.
[5] C. L. Cifra et al., “Prevalence and types of diagnostic error in pediatric hospital settings,” Critical Care Medicine, 2023.
[6] World Health Organization, Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030, Geneva: WHO, 2021.
[7] M. A. Makary and M. Daniel, “Medical error—the third leading cause of death in the US,” BMJ, 2021.
[8] L. L. Leape and D. M. Berwick, “Reducing diagnostic error to improve patient safety,” JAMA, 2022.
[9] A. L. Rosenberg et al., “Adverse events in pediatric intensive care units,” Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 2021.
[10] M. M. Bismark and D. M. Studdert, “Medical negligence and claims in pediatric practice,” The New England Journal of Medicine, 2022.
[11] S. Leteurtre et al., “Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction (PELOD) scoring system update and applications,” Intensive Care Medicine, 2022.
[12] C. Vincent and R. Amalberti, Safer Healthcare: Strategies for the Real World, Springer, 2023.
[13] R. Stein, H. S. Dogan, and P. Hoebeke, “Urinary tract infections in children: EAU/ESPU guidelines update,” European Urology, 2024.
[14] J. S. Bradley et al., “Management of community-acquired pneumonia in children,” Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2023.
[15] A. Pinborg et al., “Why do ART singletons have adverse perinatal outcome?” Human Reproduction Update, 2023.