Análisis de un registro de 10 años de sentencias penales relacionadas con la mala praxis médica

Background and objective: This study aimed at analyzing criminal judgments associated with medical malpractice. Material and methods: We retrospectively analyzed all criminal sentences associated with medical malpractice dictated between 2005 and 2016 in the province of Girona (North-East Spain). Results:During the analyzed period, we identified 24 sentences associated with medical malpractice, all of them incriminating: 16 (66.6%) were related with medical procedures performed in the urgent setting (mostly, diagnostic errors regarding the time of delivery in pregnant women [n=4; 25.0%]), and 8 (33.4%) in the non-urgent setting.Conclusions: Most criminal sentences of medical malpractice were associated with diagnostic procedures performed in the urgent setting, suggesting the need of improving the staff and structural organization in this setting to minimize the risk of malpractice