Defects in Medical Care in Pediatric Practice: Results of a Forensic Medical Analysis

Abstract

Forensic medical analysis of defects in medical care in pediatric practice makes it possible to characterize their structure, causes, clinical significance, and consequences. This retrospective study analyzed 196 forensic medical examination materials concerning children younger than 16 years who were examined in Tashkent City and Namangan Region during 2020–2025. Among these, 167 cases involved provision of medical care and were analyzed with respect to the nature and causes of defects, the healthcare setting, and the specialty of the healthcare professionals involved. The most frequent defects were delayed diagnosis (40.7%), failure to identify complications of the underlying disease or injury (12.6%), and delayed hospitalization (11.4%). The principal contributing factors were insufficient professional competence of healthcare workers (30.5%), inadequate attention to the patient (24.6%), and deficiencies in the organization and continuity of diagnostic and treatment processes (21.0%).