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Investigative Committee holds board meeting discussing sub-quality medical services

The RF Investigative Committee has held a meeting to discuss investigation of iatrogenic crimes, i.e. crimes related to provision of sub-quality medical services. The event was attended by officials of the central office and heads of a number of offices of the Investigative Committee.

Speaking at the meeting Chairman of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin gave out statistical data on such crimes, pointing out that: “in 2015, 888 people were recognized to be victims of iatrogenic crimes. 712 of them, including 317 children, died owing to medical errors or improper medical aid. In 2016, 352 people died of medical errors or improper medical aid, 142 of them were children.” “In the first half of 2016, 2,516 crimes related to medical errors and improper medical aid were reported to the Investigative Committee. 419 criminal cases were opened into those crimes,” Mr. Bastrykin added.

The Chairman noted that some regions were experiencing some problems related to sub-standard medical services,  in particular Bashkortostan and Ulyanovsk Region, where investigators had made ungrounded procedural decisions or done nothing. Mr. Bastyrking demanded that investigators looked thoroughly into all details of patient’s death in each case.

In order to get information on such crimes as quickly as possible, the Chairman noted the necessity to make cooperation agreements with Roszdravnadzor (the federal service for healthcare oversight) which supervises medical examination process and adherence to healthcare quality standards. Additionally, the Chairman noted experience of cooperation with local healthcare departments which under respective agreements inform investigative authorities about all deaths of minors, pregnant women or women in labor. “This practice has become widespread, so similar agreements were signed with 27 investigative offices, and are pending in 15 more,” summed up the Chairman.

Some specific steps aimed at improved investigation of crimes related to sub-quality medical care were developed at the meeting.