Factors associated with medico-legal events resulting from attempted suicide by patients in care
This study provides an overview of the key medico-legal issues associated with attempted or completed suicide in Canada.
Factors associated with medico-legal events resulting from attempted suicide by patients in care
Abstract
Objectives: This study provides an overview of the key medico-legal issues associated with attempted or completed suicide in Canada. Specifically, we identify factors that were criticized and found to contribute to medico-legal risk in these cases.
Methods: A national repository was retrospectively searched for cases involving patients who attempted or completed suicide while under the care of a physician. The study included cases closed at the Canadian Medical Protective Association between 2013 and 2023. The study involved in- and outpatients who attempted or completed suicide. The frequencies and proportions of patient safety events and medico-legal risks for physicians were calculated by exploring factors that contributed to each incident.
Results: A total of 378 cases were identified, involving 460 physicians. The majority of patients in these cases experienced a healthcare-related harm (224/378, 59%). Psychiatrists were involved in 61% (231/378) of cases. The most common reasons for patient/family complaints were deficient assessments, diagnostic errors, and communication breakdowns with the patient or their family. The most common contributing factors identified by peer experts were deficient assessments of a suicidal patient and inadequate documentation.
Conclusions: This study addressed the gap in the published literature of healthcare-related contributing risk factors associated with a patient safety incident from Canadian medico-legal cases. The most common omissions identified by peer experts were comprehensive assessment and clear documentation. Physicians treating suicidal patients may reduce their medico-legal risk by completing and documenting thorough and timely suicide risk assessments.
Reference
Aslanova R, Robertson SJ, Barbosa K, Rose EG, Fortier JH, Garber GE. Factors associated with medico-legal events resulting from attempted suicide by patients in care: Facteurs associés aux événements médico-légaux résultant de tentatives de suicide de patients en soins. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. May 2025. doi:10.1177/07067437251342281
