Medicolegal aspects of error in pathology.

Abstract Objective.—To discuss the various ways error is defined in surgical pathology. To identify errors in pathology practice identified by an analysis of pathology malpractice claims. Design.—Three hundred seventy-eight pathology malpractice claims were reviewed. Nuisance claims and autopsy claims were excluded; 335 pathology claims remained and were analyzed to identify repetitive patterns of specimen type and diagnostic category. Setting.—All pathology malpractice claims reported to The Doctors Company of Napa, Calif, between 1998 and 2003. Results.—Fifty-seven percent of malpractice claims involved just 5 categories of specimen type and/or diagnostic error, namely, breast specimens, melanoma, cervical Papanicolaou tests, gynecologic specimens, and system (operational) errors. Sixty-three percent of claims involved failure to diagnose cancer, resulting in delay in diagnosis or inappropriate treatment. Conclusion.—A false-negative diagnosis of melanoma was the single most common reason for filing a m...