Analysis of the characteristics, efficiency, and influencing factors of third-party mediation mechanisms for resolving medical disputes in public hospitals in China

Abstract Background Medical disputes, which are prevalent in China, are a growing global public health problem. The Chinese government has proposed third-party mediation (TPM) to resolve this issue. However, the characteristics, efficiency, and influencing factors of TPM in resolving medical disputes in public hospitals in China have yet to be determined. Methods We conducted a systematic study using TPM records from medical disputes in Gansu Province in China from 2014 to 2019. A χ2 test was used to compare differences between groups, and binary logistic analysis was performed to determine the factors influencing the choice of TPM for resolving medical disputes. Results We analyzed 5,948 TPM records of medical disputes in Gansu Province in China. The number of medical disputes and the amount of compensation awarded in public hospitals in the Gansu Province increased annually from 2014 to 2019, with most of the disputes occurring in secondary and tertiary hospitals. Approximately 89.01% of the medical disputes were handled by TPM; the average compensation amount with TPM was Chinese Yuan (CNY) 48,688.73, significantly less than that awarded via court judgment and judicial mediation. TPM was more likely to succeed in settling medical disputes in the