Research Article
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Investigation of the Relationship Between Malpractice Fear and Job Satisfaction Among Emergency Physicians

Year 2023, Volume: 20 Issue: 2, 340 - 345, 31.08.2023
https://doi.org/10.35440/hutfd.1320376

Abstract

Background: The number of physicians sued for malpractice is increasing, and this situation causes a fear of malpractice in physicians. The aim of this study is to determine the malpractice fear and the level of job satisfaction among emergency physicians and to examine the relationship between these factors.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study has been conducted with emergency physicians at four different training and research hospitals in Ankara, Türkiye. Malpractice fear and job satisfaction have been evaluated with Malpractice Fear Scale (MFS) and Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS). Questionnaire method was used in the study.
Results: The research has been completed with 143 physicians [mean age: 33.10±7.0 years, age range: 24-51 years, male: 107 (74.8%)]. It was found that 19.5% of the participants were reported for malpractice, 11.8% were sued, and no one was penalized. It has been determined that the participants scored 3.6±0.9 points on the MFS and 2.4±0.7 points on the JSS in 1-5 point range. A negative, moderate, and statistically significant correlation has been found between the MFS and the JSS (r= -0.551; p<0.01).
Conclusion: In our study, it has been found that emergency physicians have a high level of malpractice fear and a low level of job satisfaction. There is no statistically significant difference in the level of malpractice fear and job satisfaction according to the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. Increased fear of malpractice decreases the job satisfaction.

References

  • 1. Bal BS. An introduction to medical malpractice in the United States. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2009;467(2): 339-47.
  • 2. Oyur Celik G, Baysan Arabaci L, Ejder BG. Investigation of medical error complaints case in health care pracitices: A ret-rospective study. Journal of Ege University Nursing Faculty. 2022;38(2):109-17.
  • 3. Aydogan Gedik S, Unsal A, Arslantas D, Mutlu A. Medical malpractice knowledge level of faculty of medicine stu-dents. OJM. 2021;43(2):171-81.
  • 4. Tunc T, Ozen Kutanis R. Underlying causes of anxiety among physicians and nurses: a sample of a university hospital. Su-leyman Demirel University The Journal of Visionary. 2015; 6(13):62-71.
  • 5. Katz DA, Williams GC, Brown RL, Aufderheide TP, Bogner M, Rahko PS, et al. Emergency physicians' fear of malpractice in evaluating patients with possible acute cardiac ischemia. Ann Emerg Med. 2005;46(6): 525-33.
  • 6. Roy AD, Chen L, Santucci K. What do pediatric residents know about malpractice?. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2011;27:586-90.
  • 7. Gocen O, Yilmaz A, Aslanhan H, Celepkolu T, Tuncay S, Diri-can E. Assistant physicians knowledge and attitudes about defensive medical practices, work-related stress and bur-nout levels. The Turkish Journal of Family Medicine and Pri-mary Care. 2018;12(2):77-87.
  • 8. Keser A, Ongen Bilir B. Turkish reliability and validity study of job satisfaction scale. Kırklareli University Journal of Social Sciences. 2019;3(3):229-39.
  • 9. Akturk G, Ozesen TA. Evaluation of medical malpractice cases decided by the supreme court in 2021. Turkish Journal of Forensic Medicine. 2023;37(1):19-25.
  • 10. Ugrak U, Isik O. Turkish validity and reliability study of malp-ractice fear scale. Hacettepe Journal of Health Administra-tion. 2020;23(2):261-72.
  • 11. Fiscella K, Franks P, Zwanziger J, Mooney C, Sorbero M, Williams GC. Risk aversion and costs. J Fam Pract. 2000;49(1):12-8.
  • 12. Franks P, Williams GC, Zwanziger J, Mooney C, Sorbero M. Why do physicians vary so widely in their referral rates?. J Gen Intern Med. 2000;15(3):163-8.
  • 13. Reed DA, Windish DM, Levine RB, Kravet SJ, Wolfe L,Wright SM. Do fears of malpractice litigation influence teaching be-haviors?. Teach Learn Med. 2008;20(3):205-11.
  • 14. Brayfield AH, Rothe HF. An index of job satisfaction. J Appl Psychol. 1951;35(5): 307-11.
  • 15. Judge TA, Locke EA, Durham CC, Kluger AN. Dispositional effects on job and life satisfaction: the role of core evalua-tions. J Appl Psychol. 1998;83(1):17-34.
  • 16. Ercan O, Ozbek O. Sports sponsorship for communication companies reliability and validity study of measurement. Jo-urnal of Human Sciences. 2017;14(4):3615-25.
  • 17. Aygun A, Karabacak V, Isik HS. The knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of emergency physicians about medical legal res-ponsibilities. Kırıkkale University Medical Journal. 2018;20(3):321-8.
  • 18. Tugcu H, Yorulmaz C, Ceylan S, Baykal B, Celasun B, Koc S. The knowledge and ideas of the physicians who participate in emergency services about physician responsibility in emergency cases and forensic medicine problems. Gulhane Medical Journal. 2003;45(2):175-9.
  • 19. Kalemoglu M. The responsibility of the physician in the emergency departments: review. Turkiye Klinikleri J Med Sci. 2005; 25(6):824-8.
  • 20. Reschovsky JD, Saiontz-Martinez CB. Malpractice claim fears and the costs of treating medicare patients: a new approach to estimating the costs of defensive medicine. Health Serv Res. 2018;53(3):1498-1516.
  • 21. Benbassat J, Pilpel D, Schor R. Physicians' attitudes toward litigation and defensive practice: development of a scale. Behav Med. 2001;27(2):52-60.
  • 22. Carrier ER, Reschovsky JD, Mello MM, Mayrell RC, Katz D. Physicians' fears of malpractice lawsuits are not assuaged by tort reforms. Health Aff (Millwood). 2010;29(9):1585-92.
  • 23. Ocak S, Kamer Sahin T, Gider O. The effects of doctors’ job satisfaction on entrepreneurial intention: a research on Muğla province. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Researches. 2016;17(37):53-69.
  • 24. Aktay DD. The relationship between job satisfaction and corporate loyalty and analysis in military hospitals. Master Thesis, İstanbul: İstanbul University Social Science Institute, 2010.
  • 25. Karahan A. A research of analyzing the organisational com-mitment and job satisfaction on physicians: an example of Afyon Kocatepe University Hospital. Dumlupinar University Journal of Social Sciences. 2009;23:421-32.
  • 26. Mansur F, Seyhan F. The effect of work overload on organi-zational commitment and job satisfaction of employees carrying personal dosimeters. Journal of Business Research-Turk. 2021;13(2): 1033-49.
  • 27. Ritsema TS, Roberts KA. Job satisfaction among British physi-cian associates. Clin Med (Lond). 2016;16(6):511-3.
  • 28. Oh YI, Kim H, Kim K. Factors affecting Korean physician job satisfaction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(15):2714.
  • 29. Maharani C, Djasri H, Meliala A, Dramé ML, Marx M, Louka-nova S. A scoping analysis of the aspects of primary health-care physician job satisfaction: facets relevant to the Indo-nesian system. Hum Resour Health. 2019;17(1):38.
  • 30. Bayer N, Golbasi Z, Uzuntarla Y, Akarsu K. Job satisfaction, burnout and turnover intention of nurses working in hospi-tal during the pandemic COVID-19 in Turkey. J Clin Med Kaz. 2021;18(6):69-75.
  • 31. Aldrees T, Al-Eissa S, Badri M, Aljuhayman A, Zamakhshary M. Physician job satisfaction in Saudi Arabia: insights from a tertiary hospital survey. Ann Saudi Med. 2015;35(3):210-3.
  • 32. Li K, Chen H, Tan Z, Yin X, Gong Y, Jiang N, et al. Job satisfac-tion and its related factors among emergency department physicians in China. Front Public Health. 2022;10:925686.
  • 33. Asan O, Erenler E. Relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction. Suleyman Demirel University The Journal of Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. 2008;13(2): 203-16.
  • 34. Alrawashdeh HM, Al-Tammemi AB, Alzawahreh MK, Al-Tamimi A, Elkholy M, Al Sarireh F, et al. Occupational bur-nout and job satisfaction among physicians in times of COVID-19 crisis: a convergent parallel mixed-method study. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):811.
  • 35. Villarreal-Zegarra D, Lázaro-Illatopa WI, Castillo-Blanco R, Cabieses B, Blukacz A, Bellido-Boza L, et al. Relationship between job satisfaction, burnout syndrome and depressi-ve symptoms in physicians: a cross-sectional study based on the employment demand-control model using structural equation modelling. BMJ Open. 2022;12(10):e057888.
  • 36. Toraman A, Carikci IH. The evaluation of the causes of de-fensive medicines with the vision of physicians. Suleyman Demirel University Visionary Journal. 2019;10(23):40-51.
  • 37. Saruhan N, Altındis S, Gojayeva G. The evaluation of the attitudes of dentists on defensive medical practice. Journal of Biotechnology and Strategic Health Research. 2018;2(3):165-73.
  • 38. Cosgun IG, Balci A, Cilekar S. The awareness of medical students of pulmonology, the factors affecting speciality preferences, and the effect of Covid-19 on speciality prefe-rence. Kocatepe Medical Journal. 2022;103:102-6.

Acil Servis Hekimlerinin Malpraktis Korkusu ile İş Tatmini Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi

Year 2023, Volume: 20 Issue: 2, 340 - 345, 31.08.2023
https://doi.org/10.35440/hutfd.1320376

Abstract

Amaç: Malpraktis nedeniyle dava edilen hekim sayısı artmakta ve bu durum hekimlerde malpraktis korkusuna neden olmaktadır. Bu çalışmada acil servis hekimlerinin malpraktis korkusu ve iş tatmin düzeylerinin belirlenmesi ve aralarındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır.
Gereç-Yöntem: Kesitsel nitelikteki bu araştırma, Ankara-Türkiye’de bulunan dört farklı eğitim ve araştırma hastanesinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Malpraktis korkusu ve iş tatmini Malpraktis Korku Ölçeği (MKÖ) ve İş Tatmini Ölçeği (İTÖ) ile değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırmada anket yöntemi kullanılmıştır.
Bulgular: Araştırma 143 hekim ile tamamlanmıştır [ortalama yaş: 33,10±7,0 yıl, yaş aralığı: 24-51 yıl, erkek: 107 (%74,8)]. Katılımcıların %19.5’inin malpraktis nedeniyle şikayet edildiği, %11.8’inin dava edildiği, ceza alanın olmadığı bulunmuştur. Katılımcıların 1-5 puan aralığında MKÖ’den 3,6±0,9, İTÖ’den 2,4±0,7 puan aldığı tespit edilmiştir. MKÖ ve İTÖ arasında negatif yönde, orta düzeyde ve istatistiksel olarak anlamlı korelasyon bulunmuştur (r= -0,551; p<0,01).
Sonuç: Araştırmamızda acil servis hekimlerinin malpraktis korkularının yüksek, iş tatmin düzeylerinin ise düşük olduğu bulunmuştur. Katılımcıların sosyodemografik özelliklerine göre malpraktis korku ve iş tatmin düzeylerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı farklılık yoktur. Malpraktis korkusunun artması iş tatminini azaltmaktadır.

References

  • 1. Bal BS. An introduction to medical malpractice in the United States. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2009;467(2): 339-47.
  • 2. Oyur Celik G, Baysan Arabaci L, Ejder BG. Investigation of medical error complaints case in health care pracitices: A ret-rospective study. Journal of Ege University Nursing Faculty. 2022;38(2):109-17.
  • 3. Aydogan Gedik S, Unsal A, Arslantas D, Mutlu A. Medical malpractice knowledge level of faculty of medicine stu-dents. OJM. 2021;43(2):171-81.
  • 4. Tunc T, Ozen Kutanis R. Underlying causes of anxiety among physicians and nurses: a sample of a university hospital. Su-leyman Demirel University The Journal of Visionary. 2015; 6(13):62-71.
  • 5. Katz DA, Williams GC, Brown RL, Aufderheide TP, Bogner M, Rahko PS, et al. Emergency physicians' fear of malpractice in evaluating patients with possible acute cardiac ischemia. Ann Emerg Med. 2005;46(6): 525-33.
  • 6. Roy AD, Chen L, Santucci K. What do pediatric residents know about malpractice?. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2011;27:586-90.
  • 7. Gocen O, Yilmaz A, Aslanhan H, Celepkolu T, Tuncay S, Diri-can E. Assistant physicians knowledge and attitudes about defensive medical practices, work-related stress and bur-nout levels. The Turkish Journal of Family Medicine and Pri-mary Care. 2018;12(2):77-87.
  • 8. Keser A, Ongen Bilir B. Turkish reliability and validity study of job satisfaction scale. Kırklareli University Journal of Social Sciences. 2019;3(3):229-39.
  • 9. Akturk G, Ozesen TA. Evaluation of medical malpractice cases decided by the supreme court in 2021. Turkish Journal of Forensic Medicine. 2023;37(1):19-25.
  • 10. Ugrak U, Isik O. Turkish validity and reliability study of malp-ractice fear scale. Hacettepe Journal of Health Administra-tion. 2020;23(2):261-72.
  • 11. Fiscella K, Franks P, Zwanziger J, Mooney C, Sorbero M, Williams GC. Risk aversion and costs. J Fam Pract. 2000;49(1):12-8.
  • 12. Franks P, Williams GC, Zwanziger J, Mooney C, Sorbero M. Why do physicians vary so widely in their referral rates?. J Gen Intern Med. 2000;15(3):163-8.
  • 13. Reed DA, Windish DM, Levine RB, Kravet SJ, Wolfe L,Wright SM. Do fears of malpractice litigation influence teaching be-haviors?. Teach Learn Med. 2008;20(3):205-11.
  • 14. Brayfield AH, Rothe HF. An index of job satisfaction. J Appl Psychol. 1951;35(5): 307-11.
  • 15. Judge TA, Locke EA, Durham CC, Kluger AN. Dispositional effects on job and life satisfaction: the role of core evalua-tions. J Appl Psychol. 1998;83(1):17-34.
  • 16. Ercan O, Ozbek O. Sports sponsorship for communication companies reliability and validity study of measurement. Jo-urnal of Human Sciences. 2017;14(4):3615-25.
  • 17. Aygun A, Karabacak V, Isik HS. The knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of emergency physicians about medical legal res-ponsibilities. Kırıkkale University Medical Journal. 2018;20(3):321-8.
  • 18. Tugcu H, Yorulmaz C, Ceylan S, Baykal B, Celasun B, Koc S. The knowledge and ideas of the physicians who participate in emergency services about physician responsibility in emergency cases and forensic medicine problems. Gulhane Medical Journal. 2003;45(2):175-9.
  • 19. Kalemoglu M. The responsibility of the physician in the emergency departments: review. Turkiye Klinikleri J Med Sci. 2005; 25(6):824-8.
  • 20. Reschovsky JD, Saiontz-Martinez CB. Malpractice claim fears and the costs of treating medicare patients: a new approach to estimating the costs of defensive medicine. Health Serv Res. 2018;53(3):1498-1516.
  • 21. Benbassat J, Pilpel D, Schor R. Physicians' attitudes toward litigation and defensive practice: development of a scale. Behav Med. 2001;27(2):52-60.
  • 22. Carrier ER, Reschovsky JD, Mello MM, Mayrell RC, Katz D. Physicians' fears of malpractice lawsuits are not assuaged by tort reforms. Health Aff (Millwood). 2010;29(9):1585-92.
  • 23. Ocak S, Kamer Sahin T, Gider O. The effects of doctors’ job satisfaction on entrepreneurial intention: a research on Muğla province. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Researches. 2016;17(37):53-69.
  • 24. Aktay DD. The relationship between job satisfaction and corporate loyalty and analysis in military hospitals. Master Thesis, İstanbul: İstanbul University Social Science Institute, 2010.
  • 25. Karahan A. A research of analyzing the organisational com-mitment and job satisfaction on physicians: an example of Afyon Kocatepe University Hospital. Dumlupinar University Journal of Social Sciences. 2009;23:421-32.
  • 26. Mansur F, Seyhan F. The effect of work overload on organi-zational commitment and job satisfaction of employees carrying personal dosimeters. Journal of Business Research-Turk. 2021;13(2): 1033-49.
  • 27. Ritsema TS, Roberts KA. Job satisfaction among British physi-cian associates. Clin Med (Lond). 2016;16(6):511-3.
  • 28. Oh YI, Kim H, Kim K. Factors affecting Korean physician job satisfaction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(15):2714.
  • 29. Maharani C, Djasri H, Meliala A, Dramé ML, Marx M, Louka-nova S. A scoping analysis of the aspects of primary health-care physician job satisfaction: facets relevant to the Indo-nesian system. Hum Resour Health. 2019;17(1):38.
  • 30. Bayer N, Golbasi Z, Uzuntarla Y, Akarsu K. Job satisfaction, burnout and turnover intention of nurses working in hospi-tal during the pandemic COVID-19 in Turkey. J Clin Med Kaz. 2021;18(6):69-75.
  • 31. Aldrees T, Al-Eissa S, Badri M, Aljuhayman A, Zamakhshary M. Physician job satisfaction in Saudi Arabia: insights from a tertiary hospital survey. Ann Saudi Med. 2015;35(3):210-3.
  • 32. Li K, Chen H, Tan Z, Yin X, Gong Y, Jiang N, et al. Job satisfac-tion and its related factors among emergency department physicians in China. Front Public Health. 2022;10:925686.
  • 33. Asan O, Erenler E. Relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction. Suleyman Demirel University The Journal of Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. 2008;13(2): 203-16.
  • 34. Alrawashdeh HM, Al-Tammemi AB, Alzawahreh MK, Al-Tamimi A, Elkholy M, Al Sarireh F, et al. Occupational bur-nout and job satisfaction among physicians in times of COVID-19 crisis: a convergent parallel mixed-method study. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):811.
  • 35. Villarreal-Zegarra D, Lázaro-Illatopa WI, Castillo-Blanco R, Cabieses B, Blukacz A, Bellido-Boza L, et al. Relationship between job satisfaction, burnout syndrome and depressi-ve symptoms in physicians: a cross-sectional study based on the employment demand-control model using structural equation modelling. BMJ Open. 2022;12(10):e057888.
  • 36. Toraman A, Carikci IH. The evaluation of the causes of de-fensive medicines with the vision of physicians. Suleyman Demirel University Visionary Journal. 2019;10(23):40-51.
  • 37. Saruhan N, Altındis S, Gojayeva G. The evaluation of the attitudes of dentists on defensive medical practice. Journal of Biotechnology and Strategic Health Research. 2018;2(3):165-73.
  • 38. Cosgun IG, Balci A, Cilekar S. The awareness of medical students of pulmonology, the factors affecting speciality preferences, and the effect of Covid-19 on speciality prefe-rence. Kocatepe Medical Journal. 2022;103:102-6.
There are 38 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Emergency Medicine
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Derya Can 0000-0003-4588-9934

Nükhet Bayer 0000-0003-3177-0596

Early Pub Date August 18, 2023
Publication Date August 31, 2023
Submission Date June 27, 2023
Acceptance Date August 12, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 20 Issue: 2

Cite

Vancouver Can D, Bayer N. Investigation of the Relationship Between Malpractice Fear and Job Satisfaction Among Emergency Physicians. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi. 2023;20(2):340-5.

Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi  / Journal of Harran University Medical Faculty