OA2095. Deaths from complications of medical and surgical care in Greece, for the period 2014-2022

Abstract Background According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), Chapter XX, on “Εxternal causes of morbidity and mortality (V01-Y98)” includes the blocks Y40-Y84 which refer to “Complications of medical and surgical care” and Y88, “Sequelae with surgical and medical care as external cause”. In Greece, the National Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) annually reports the number and cause of deaths at national level. The objective of this study is to analyze the deaths attributed to “complications of medical and surgical care”; and from “Sequelae with surgical and medical care as external cause”, in Greece, for the period 2014-2022. Methods Data on the number of deaths per year, disaggregated by gender and age group, were obtained from ELSTAT for the study period. Results Between 2014 and 2022, a total of 4,205 deaths were recorded under the aforementioned categories (2,194 males and 2,011 female). The highest annual number of deaths occurred in 2020 (597 deaths), while the lowest was recorded in 2017 (383 deaths). The age group with the highest number of deaths was 85+ years (868 deaths), followed by 75–79 years (747 deaths), and 80–84 years (742 deaths). Across the entire study period, 16 deaths occurred in the 0–19 age group, 800 in the 20–65 group, 1,779 in the 65–79 group, and 1,610 in the 85+ group. Conclusions Complications of medical and surgical care are preventable events may cause harm, additional costs, and even death. Accurate certification of the cause of death by physicians—including the proper completion of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCOD)—along with correct coding in accordance with ICD guidelines, is essential for producing reliable mortality statistics. These statistics are critical for monitoring mortality and disease trends, fulfilling legal and administrative requirements, and informing health policy decisions. Key messages • Proper certification and coding of causes of death are crucial for reliable statistics • Reliable mortality data is essential for monitoring trends and informing health policies. Topic Patient safety, Healthcare quality, Health policy.