The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Medical Malpractice Closed Claim Study 1975-1978. A review of dermatologic claims.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Medical Malpractice Closed Claim Study 1975-1978 is the first major uniform nationwide survey of its kind. A total of 71,782 closed claims were reviewed during a 3 1/2-year period. Approximately one third of these claims involved indemnity payments. A review of the dermatologic closed claims with indemnity payments included in the study revealed that dermatologists accounted for 127 claims representing 0.7% of total paid claims, with payments totaling +2,549,125 representing 0.6% of total indemnity dollars paid. Since our specialty represents 1.4% of all practicing physicians, it is clear that the NAIC study reaffirms dermatology as being among the lowest malpractice risk specialties.