A Survey of Patient's Complaints against Physicians in a Five Year Period in Fars Province: Implication for Medical Education

Background One of the prominent sources of needs assessment is a survey of complaints and medical errors. This study aimed at determining the number and reasons of patients’ complaints against physicians during five years in Fars province, Iran. After required correspondence and coordination with the head of Fars Medical Council, a questionnaire was prepared. As suggested by the head of medical council and also due to the secrecy of the data, two employees of medical council cooperated in collecting the data. Then the collected data were categorized and analyzed, using SPSS statistical package. The results revealed that 368 complaints have been made during five years against public hospitals, private hospitals, private offices and clinics, respectively. Most of these complaints have been made against dentists, gynecologists, ophthalmologists, orthopedists and general surgeons respectively. Based on the content analysis of the complaints, 33 cases (9%) have been related to death, 56 cases (15%) disability and 50% misunderstanding and lack of good relationship. In 95cases (26%), the physicians have been faulty from which 59 cases (16%) have been settled by arbitration. In 177cases (48%), physicians have not been faulty. Some cases have been closed due to the passage of time and request for stopping the claims. The results of this study indicate that the majority of the complaints have been made due to a lack of proper relationship between physicians and patients, mostly related to behavioral problems. Considering the fact that one’s behavior reveals his/her attitude, there is a severe deficiency in medical education with regard to affective and attitudes domain of objectives. To solve this problem, the experts, specialists and ethics experts’ contribution is called for so that by establishing a medical curriculum committee, this aspect of medical education can be integrated in the program.