Oman introduces new fee for medical errors report

Muscat: Oman has announced a new fee of OMR25 for studying requests for reports proving medical errors, offered by the Ministry of Health.

According to Article 1 of the new decision, this fee applies when a request is submitted by the concerned individual to the Ministry of Health for an assessment of whether a medical error has occurred.

However, Article 2 states that individuals eligible for the family income support benefit, as outlined in the Social Protection Law (Royal Decree No. 52/2023), will be exempt from this fee.

Article 3 stipulates that the fee will be refunded if a medical error is confirmed by the Supreme Medical Committee or through a court

Oman has affirmed commitment to ensure the safety of medical patients, as the country works to reduce the number of medical errors committed annually.

Oman has a specialised committee at the national level to adjudicate cases of deficiency or negligence in medical services. Besides, there are committees in every hospital to handle such cases. Medical personnel found guilty of erroneous treatment or negligence are dealt with firmly, Dr. Hilal Ali Al Sabti, the Minister of Health said.

Dr Al Sabti told local media earlier that errors in judgment or the line of treatment can be possible as the medical personnel are human beings and not machines but negligence cannot be condoned and in such cases where negligence is proved beyond doubt, the medical personnel have been taken to task rather firmly.

“In cases of complaints regarding loss of life, rigorous investigations have been made and dealt with accordingly so that the complainants had no reason for dissatisfaction,” he said.

He said that health workers are dealt with firmly in cases of medical negligence as they are ambassadors of health. The government, he said, is aware of this aspect and trying its best to build trust between the Ministry and the health workers on the one hand, and between the health workers and the community, on the other.

The minister pointed out that wherever deficiency in medical services comes to the fore, the government will do its utmost to bring in modifications in the system. But if there are deficiencies on the part of medical workers, it is dealt with firmly.

Besides a committee at the Ministry of Health level, there are committees at Sultan Qaboos University, the Armed Forces Hospital, the Police Hospital and the Diwan hospital.

These committees, besides looking into routine complaints, look into cases which require to be treated abroad. Additionally, these committees requisition the services of specialists from other countries for cases requiring their expertise.

There are, on an average, 100 to 120 reports of medical errors each year in Oman, according to the ministry.

When a doctor is found to be negligent there is a process that follows.

There are different levels of questioning. On the first level the doctor is questioned by consultants in the department. Then if negligence is found, the file will go to the level of the hospital, and after the hospital it goes to the Ministry level (Lower Medical Committee), and then to the Higher Medical Committee, and the final stage is the Public Prosecution.

According to the recent figures released by the Higher Medical Committee (HMC), between 2010 and 2021 the HMC registered 1,284 medical malpractice cases, out of which 1,048 were fully investigated. The number of registered cases increased during this period.

These cases included those raised by Omani nationals and expatriates, with a majority (86 per cent) raised by Omani complainants. Two-thirds (67 per cent) of the cases involved adult complainants aged 18–60 years. About 43 per cent of the cases were from the urban Muscat region, and 68 per cent were related to public hospitals. The most common specialities involved were obstetrics and gynaecology (20.1 per cent), internal medicine (19.7 per cent), surgery (17.6 per cent) and orthopaedics (13.8 per cent). Half (51 per cent) of the appeals or grievances were dismissed because they were not preceded by medical negligence or malpractice.

The average waiting time to initiate the investigation was 10 months. Errors were more common among non-Omani complainants and cases related to private hospitals.

- Fahad Al Mukrashi is a journalist based in Muscat.