States Experiencing the Highest Amount of Medical Malpractice
- One of the worst malpractice states, Louisiana, ranks as the state with the highest rate of medical malpractice, with a rate of 28.55 per 100,000 people.
- Colorado has seen a 15% increase in the number of AARs since 2013.
- Hawaii ranks as the state with the lowest rate of medical malpractice, with a rate of 4.26 per 100,000 people.
Louisiana is revealed to be the state with the worst rate of medical malpractice, according to a new study.
A new analysis of adverse action reports (AAR) provided by the National Practitioner Databank (NPDB) has been carried out by personal injury lawyers at RP Legal Group to reveal which states have the highest rates of medical malpractice. The NPDB describes an AAR as a tool to report any action taken against a physician, dentist, or health care practitioner that indicates medical malpractice. The findings revealed that between 2013 and 2023, there has been a total of 502,971 AARs filed across America.
The state with the highest rate of medical malpractice is Louisiana, with a rate of 28.55 per 100,000 people. Between 2013 and 2023, there were an average of 1,330 AARs filed. 2015 was the year that saw the most significant number of reports filed, with a total of 1,481 AARs. Furthermore, despite ranking first, Louisiana has seen an 18% decrease in the reports filed since 2013.
Wyoming follows in second place, with a rate of 26.18 per 100,000 people and an average of 151 AARs filed annually. The findings revealed that Wyoming has seen a 29% decrease in the number of reports filed since 2013, with 2023 being the year with the lowest number of reports filed – 104.
Ranking in third place is Colorado, with a rate of 25.6 per 100,000 people and an average of 1,478 AARs filed annually. The findings have revealed that Colorado has seen a 15% increase in the number of AARs filed between 2013 and 2023; the number of reports peaked in 2018, with a total of 2,022 ARRs filed that year.
States with the Highest Rate of Medical Malpractice, 2013-2023
| Rank | State | Average Number of A.A. Reports (2013 – 2023) | Rate per 100,000 Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 1,330 | 28.55 |
| 2 | Wyoming | 151 | 26.18 |
| 3 | Colorado | 1,478 | 25.6 |
| 4 | Oregon | 971 | 22.92 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 891 | 22.5 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 653 | 21.68 |
| 7 | Alabama | 1,089 | 21.67 |
| 8 | Maine | 293 | 21.51 |
| 9 | Ohio | 2,466 | 20.9 |
| 10 | Vermont | 132 | 20.53 |
Oregon ranks fourth, with a medical malpractice rate of 22.92 per 100,000 people and an average of 971 AARs filed annually. Oregon has seen a 42% decrease in AARs filed between 2013 and 2023. The number of reports steadily increased between 2013 and 2020 and dropped drastically thereafter. Ranking fifth is Oklahoma, with a rate of 22.50 per 100,000 and an average of 891 AARs filed annually. The findings also revealed that Oklahoma has seen a 77% decrease in the number of charges filed between 2013 and 2023.
Rounding out the top ten is Arkansas in sixth place with a rate of 21.68; Alabama in seventh, with a rate of 21.67; Maine in eighth, with a rate of 21.51; Ohio in ninth, with a rate of 20.90, and Vermont in tenth, with a rate of 20.53.
On the other end of the scale, Hawaii is revealed to be the state with the lowest rate of medical malpractice. The state has a rate of 4.26 per 100,000 people and a 39% decrease in the number of reports filed since 2013. The average number of reports filed each year is 62. The second state with the lowest rate of medical malpractice is New York, which has a rate of 5.46 per 100,000 people. New York has seen a 52% decrease in the number of reports filed since 2013; 2017 was when the number of reports peaked at 1,501. The average number of reports filed yearly is 1,102 – though this seems relatively large, the state’s population must be considered.
States with the Lowest Rate of Medical Malpractice, 2013-2023
| Rank | State | Average Number of A.A. Reports (2013 – 2023) | Rate per 100,000 Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 62 | 4.26 |
| 2 | New York | 1,102 | 5.46 |
| 3 | Idaho | 136 | 7.39 |
| 4 | Georgia | 805 | 7.52 |
| 5 | Connecticut | 275 | 7.63 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 927 | 8.88 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 99 | 9.02 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 659 | 9.37 |
| 9 | Montana | 103 | 9.5 |
| 10 | New Jersey | 972 | 10.46 |
Idaho ranks third, with a medical malpractice rate of 7.39 per 100,000 people. Idaho has seen a 63% decrease in the number of reports filed between 2013 and 2023. 2016 was the year when the number of reports peaked; a total of 239 AARs were filed. Ranking fourth is Georgia, with a rate of 7.52 per 100,000 people and an average of 805 AARs filed annually. The number of AARs filed annually in Georgia fluctuated throughout the years, peaking at 1,293 reports in 2018. Despite that, Georgia saw a 15% decrease in the number of reports filed between 2013 and 2023.
Connecticut ranks fifth, with a rate of 7.63 per 100,000 people and an average of 275 AARs filed annually. Connecticut has seen a 71% decrease in reports filed since 2013. Furthermore, the number of reports filed has yet to peak at over 355 – the highest number of reports that were filed in 2017.
Rounding out the top ten is North Carolina in sixth place, with a rate of 8.88 per 100,000 people; Rhode Island in seventh place, with a rate of 9.02; Massachusetts in eighth place, with a rate of 9.37; Montana in ninth place, with a rate of 9.50; and New Jersey in tenth place, with a rate of 10.46.
Commenting on these findings, Robert Rikard from RP Legal Group:
“If we look at 2023 figures alone, there were 26,805 reports filed throughout America, with Texas having the highest number of reports filed (2,870). These figures are incredibly high and indicate an issue within healthcare systems and protocols that must be revisited to prevent malpractice. Any form of negligence within the healthcare system should raise alarm bells, especially as there can be a lot of collateral damage.
It is hard to pinpoint an exact cause for medical malpractice; it can stem from imprudence, inexperience, or negligence. Practitioners and healthcare workers must ensure they have thorough training and are up to date with advances in the healthcare system to reduce potential malpractice.“
If you use any of these insights, please link credit to https://rplegalgroup.com/ as they are responsible for analyzing the data.
Source: National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB)
Methodology: The number of Adverse Action Reports (AARs) was collected from the NPDB. The data looked at the number of charges in each state between 2013 and 2023. The figures were analyzed, and an average number of AARs was calculated for each state.
Once the data was collected, the average number of AARs for each state was calculated. This figure was then used to find the rate of reports filled for every 100,000 people in each state, revealing the states with the highest rates.