How Many Medical Malpractice Deaths Per Year

There is no single authoritative number for “medical malpractice deaths per year” in the United States. Estimates differ substantially because researchers use different definitions and methods. Some studies examine preventable adverse events in hospitals, while others focus on diagnostic errors, medication errors or cases that meet the legal definition of medical negligence. Not every preventable medical error is malpractice, and not every malpractice-related death is identified through a lawsuit or death certificate. As a result, widely repeated claims that medical error is a particular “leading cause of death” should be treated carefully and read in the context of the underlying study. Government reporting systems, peer-reviewed research and malpractice-claim databases measure different things. If the statistic is being used for a legal or healthcare article, it is better to cite a specific study and explain exactly what was measured rather than state a broad annual figure as settled fact. Current research should also be used because estimates and methodologies continue to evolve.