Average radiology malpractice claim reaches $456,000, with 1 common cause
The average radiology malpractice claim is about $456,000, with one overwhelmingly common cause, according to new research.
About 75% of malpractice claims stem from diagnosis-related errors, according to the Doctors Company, a physician-owned medical malpractice insurer. Other less common causes include image-guided medical treatments (13%), safety and security (5%) and surgical care (3%).
The findings are based on an analysis of 735 radiology claims handled by the insurance company between 2010 and 2025.
"Every malpractice claim magnifies where patient care can be improved," Julie Ritzman, MBA, senior VP of patient safety and risk management at the Doctors Company, part of the larger TDC Group, said in a statement Nov. 3. "Analyzing radiology claims highlights trends that provide clinicians with actionable insights to strengthen communication, decision-making, and overall patient care."
Clinical judgment errors were present in about 80% of radiology claims. These included misinterpretation of diagnostic studies, narrow diagnostic focus, and a failure or delay in ordering necessary tests. Communication breakdowns appeared in about 26% of claims, most often involving clinician-to-clinician communication. Behavior-related factors—such as patient nonadherence to follow-up imaging and treatment plans—were identified in 20% of claims, the analysis found.
For radiology claims involving clinical judgment as a key contributing factor, the average indemnity payment was about $487,000. Other behavior-related claims had an average indemnity payment of $444,000, while communication-related claims had the highest average, at about $518,000.
With clinical judgement the primary driver of radiology claims, TDC urged practices to reduce errors by addressing cognitive biases, recognizing commonly missed diagnoses, using AI to flag abnormalities, and obtaining second reads on uncertain cases.
“To minimize communication breakdowns, practices should follow protocols to obtain key information when radiological studies are ordered, maintain a clear process for identifying and managing incidental findings, and ensure closed-loop communication with the ordering physician, consistent with the American College of Radiology’s ACR Practice Parameter for Communication of Diagnostic Imaging Findings,” the report notes.
You can read more about the results for free here.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.