Page 10 - 2022 Risk Basics - Radiology

SVMIC Risk Basics: Radiology

behind only OB/GYN surgery, general surgery, internal medicine, family

practice, and orthopedic surgery with respect to the number of claims
asserted.

The average indemnity payment for radiology claims within the SVMIC-

specific data was around $300,000 which is less than the $364,000
national average. Radiology was ranked thirteenth in comparison with

other specialties within the SVMIC data as well.

SVMIC’s paid-to-closed ratio for radiology was 16.2 percent, significantly

better than the 28 percent ratio in the MPL Association (PIAA) study
covering the same time period.

The presenting medical condition that resulted in both the highest

number of claims asserted and the highest number of claims paid was
malignant neoplasms of the female breast, which is consistent with

the national data from the MPL Association DSP Dashboard. In fact,
malignant neoplasms of the female breast were approximately triple the

number in both categories (claims filed and claims paid) than the second
most frequent medical condition — fracture of the vertebral column.

Continuing to examine SVMIC radiology claims during the past ten
years where a loss was paid on behalf of an insured, the most frequently

identified factor was error in medical judgment, which contributed to the
indefensibility of 76 percent of the claims. Of these, misreads occurred in
2
74 percent, which led to a failure or delay in diagnosis. A few examples of
misreads from the SVMIC files include:

• CT Scans: Failure to diagnose pulmonary embolism, aortic
aneurysm, hemopericardium, mandibular fracture, and vertebral

subluxation.

2 SVMIC Sentinel, Specialty Spotlight: Radiology, October 2016.

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