Medical Liability for Breach of Contract by Doctors in Colombia

Abstract

Despite its ease of formulation, the distinctions between obligations of means and of results for the determination of the contents of doctor’s obligations in the delivery of medical services is inadequate. In order to be applied it requires, in addition, degrees of fault. In this way, the old theory of assignment of fault is rediscovered today as a more adequate way to determine the intensity of care that the doctor must provide in compliance with his/her obligations. This is in pursuit of efficacy of a system of responsibility which seeks not only to determine damages, but also the creation of the beliefs necessary in order to act for the mutual benefit of the doctor and the society in the course of delivering contractually required obligations.