Louisiana has an average of 1,330 adverse action reports against healthcare providers annually
A recent study by RP Legal Group identified Louisiana as the US state with the highest rate of medical malpractice over the last decade, while Hawaii ranked as the state with the lowest rate.
The study, based on data from the National Practitioner Databank (NPDB) between 2013 and 2023, analyzed adverse action reports (AARs) against healthcare providers across the US.
According to the study, Louisiana topped the list with 28.55 AARs per 100,000 people, averaging 1,330 reports annually. The year 2015 saw the highest number of cases in the state, reaching 1,481 AARs. Despite having the highest rate, Louisiana experienced an 18 percent decrease in reports over the period analyzed.
Wyoming followed closely with a rate of 26.18 per 100,000 people. Although Wyoming’s AAR count had declined by 29 percent since 2013, it still ranked second, with 151 AARs filed on average each year. Notably, 2023 marked the lowest number of reports in Wyoming, with only 104 cases.
Colorado ranked third with a rate of 25.6 AARs per 100,000 people, seeing a 15 percent increase in the number of reports over the decade. Colorado reached its peak in 2018 with 2,022 reports. Oregon, which ranked fourth, experienced a significant decrease of 42 percent in AARs between 2013 and 2023, despite having a rate of 22.92 per 100,000 people.
Rounding out the top five states was Oklahoma, with an average annual rate of 22.50 AARs per 100,000 people. Oklahoma saw the most substantial decline among the top states, with a 77 percent drop in reports filed over the decade.
On the opposite end, Hawaii had the lowest rate of medical malpractice, with just 4.26 reports per 100,000 people. The state averaged 62 reports annually and saw a 39 percent decline since 2013. Following Hawaii, New York reported a rate of 5.46 per 100,000 people but experienced a 52 percent decrease in reports, which peaked in 2017.
Commenting on these findings, Robert Rikard from RP Legal Group emphasized the importance of addressing systemic issues within healthcare, noting, “If we look at 2023 figures alone, there were 26,805 reports filed throughout America, with Texas having the highest number of reports at 2,870. These figures indicate an issue within healthcare systems and protocols that must be revisited to prevent malpractice.”
Rikard pointed out that medical malpractice could arise from various factors, including incompetence, inexperience, or negligence, stressing that “healthcare workers must ensure they have thorough training and stay up to date with advances in the healthcare system to reduce potential malpractice.”
The analysis highlighted the importance of consistent training and oversight in the healthcare system to address and prevent cases of malpractice that could have severe consequences for patients.
