Pai SN, Jeyaraman N, Jeyaraman M, Ramasubramanian S. Malpractice or masterful practice? Navigating vicarious liability in healthcare. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(2): 99071 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i2.99071]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Madhan Jeyaraman, MS, PhD, Assistant Professor, Research Associate, Department of Orthopaedics, ACS Medical College and Hospital, Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute, Velappanchavadi, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India. madhanjeyaraman@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Health Policy & Services
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Cases. Jan 16, 2025; 13(2): 99071 Published online Jan 16, 2025. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i2.99071
Malpractice or masterful practice? Navigating vicarious liability in healthcare
Satvik N Pai, Naveen Jeyaraman, Madhan Jeyaraman, Swaminathan Ramasubramanian
Satvik N Pai, Department of Orthopaedics, PES University Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bengaluru 560100, Karnataka, India
Naveen Jeyaraman, Madhan Jeyaraman, Department of Orthopaedics, ACS Medical College and Hospital, Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India
Swaminathan Ramasubramanian, Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, Omandurar Government Estate, Chennai 600002, Tamil Nadu, India
Co-first authors: Satvik N Pai and Naveen Jeyaraman.
Author contributions: Pai SN conceptualized the manuscript; Jeyaraman N, Jeyaraman M, and Ramasubramanian S performed data analysis and wrote the manuscript; All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: Https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Madhan Jeyaraman, MS, PhD, Assistant Professor, Research Associate, Department of Orthopaedics, ACS Medical College and Hospital, Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute, Velappanchavadi, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India. madhanjeyaraman@gmail.com
Received: July 12, 2024 Revised: October 3, 2024 Accepted: October 15, 2024 Published online: January 16, 2025 Processing time: 118 Days and 16.8 Hours
Abstract
In the intricate landscape of healthcare, vicarious liability looms large, shaping the responsibilities and actions of healthcare practitioners and administrators alike. Illustrated by a poignant scenario of a medication error, this article navigates the complexities of vicarious liability in healthcare. It explains the legal basis and ramifications of this theory, emphasizing its importance in fostering responsibility, protecting patient welfare, and easing access to justice. The paper explores the practical effects of vicarious responsibility on day-to-day operations, leadership practices, and decision-making processes via the eyes of senior consultants, junior doctors, and hospital administrators. Through comprehensive insights and real-world examples, it underscores the imperative of fostering a culture of accountability, communication, and quality care to navigate the intricate web of liabilities inherent in modern healthcare.
Core Tip: In the complex healthcare landscape, vicarious liability significantly influences the actions of practitioners and administrators. Using a poignant medication error scenario, this article delves into the legal basis and consequences of vicarious liability. It underscores the need for responsibility, patient welfare, and accessible justice. Through real-world examples, it emphasizes fostering an accountable, communicative culture to navigate healthcare liabilities.
