Stress and Medical Malpractice: Organizational Risk Assessment and Intervention

Four studies were conducted to examine both the relation between stress and medical malpractice and the impact of stress management programs in reducing malpractice risk. Sixty-seven hospitals and more than 12,000 individuals participated. In Study 1, hospital departments with a current record of malpractice reported higher levels of on-the-job stress than did matched, low-risk departments. In Study 2, workplace stress levels of 61 hospitals correlated significantly with frequency of malpractice claims. In Study 3, a longitudinal investigation was conducted to evaluate the impact of an organization-wide stress management program on the frequency of reported medication errors. Results suggest a significant drop in average monthly medication errors as a result of the program. Study 4 was a 2-year longitudinal investigation that compared the frequency of medical malpractice claims. Hospitals ( n = 22) that implemented an organization-wide stress management program had significantly fewer claims as compared with a matched sample of hospitals ( n = 22) that did not participate. Implications of these findings are discussed.