IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL EVALUATION AND PHYSICAL REPORT (IJMEPR )

E-ISSN 2579-0498
P-ISSN 2695-2181
VOL. 8 NO. 6 2024
DOI: 10.56201/ijmepr.v8.no6.2024.pg14.19

---

The Effect of Litigation on the Health Care Delivery System in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, South East, Nigeria

Onoh, L. U.M.

---

Abstract

Aim; To assess the effect of litigation on the health care delivery system in the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, South East, Nigeria. Method; A total of 300 heath care workers comprising 274 medical doctors and 26 Nurses working at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTTH) were studied during the period February to June 2021. Their ages, number of years of practice and designations were taken. They were questioned on their perception of the effect of litigation on the health care delivery system in the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital. Results; Table 3.shows a total of 140(46.7%) of respondents either strongly disagree (18) or disagree (122) that litigation leads to limited access to healthcare while 128 (42.67) either agree (118) or strongly agree (10) that litigation leads to limited access to health care. A total number of 211(70.3%) either agree (149) or strongly agree (62) that the cost of healthcare is increased due to effects of litigation. A total of 215 (71.67%) either agree (84) or strongly agree (131) that doctors tend to offer more investigations than needed in order to forestall any possibility of litigation. Finally, 203(67.67%) either agree (94) or strongly agree (109) that doctors tend to offer more treatment than is needed in order to forestall any possibility of litigation. Conclusion; The results show that the greatest proportion of respondents(71.67%) agree that doctors tend to offer more investigations than needed in order to forestall any possibility of litigation. And 67.67% strongly agree and agree that doctors tend to offer more treatment than is needed in order to forestall any possibility of litigation. This result shows that excessive pressure is put on the Doctors, Pharmacists and Laboratory Scientists of the hospital as well as the medical equipment, drugs and other facilities in the hospital. All these put excessive pressure on the health care delivery system of the hospital bec

keywords:

Effect of litigation, Health care delivery system, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital. Enugu State. South East Nigeria.

---

References:

1. Declaration of Geneva (As amended at Stockholm, 1994), International code of Medical Ethics
(As amended at Venice, 1983)
Re SL (Adult Patient) (Medical Treatment) (2000) 55 BMLR 105
Mason, J.K McCall Smith, R.A. & Laurie, G.T. (2002). Law and Medical Ethics (6th Ed.) Reed
Elsevier (UK Ltd)
Zhang J., Patel V.L. and Johnson T.R. Medical error: Is the solution medical or cognitive?
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 2008; 6: 75-77.
GBD Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators. Global, regional, and national age-sex
specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990-2013: A systematic
analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet 2015;385:117-71.
Makary MA, Daniel M. Medical error-the third leading cause of death in the US. BMJ
2016;353:i2139.
“Health Affairs, JAMA Studies Examine Effect of Damage Caps in Medical Malpractice Suits,
Other Related Issues” KHN Morning Briefing, June 09, 2009
Sick
of
Lawsuits
National
Survey
Conducted
by
Public
Opinion
Strategies, August 16-18, 2005.
Pharmaceutical Liability Survey Harris Interactive, July 15, 2003
The Factors Fueling Rising Healthcare Costs 2006. Price Waterhouse Coopers, January
2006.

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back