Editorial: Medical Malpractice and Quality: An Interconnected Problem

Medical malpractice insurance: a multifaceted problem.

I laud Dr. DeMaria’s efforts in summarizing the issues surrounding the medical malpractice crisis in the November issue of the Journal (1). However, I am struck by the lack of courage of state medical licensing boards in not advocating for stronger laws, policies, and procedures to focus on the 5% of physicians responsible for 50% malpractice payouts. Whereas the medical profession should be co...

Medical Malpractice Crisis Medical Malpractice Crisis

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE AND QUALITY OF CAREt

Medical malpractice claims are increasing at a rate of about ten percent per year.' Seven chairmen of neurosurgery departments in leading New York hospitals have a combined total of twenty-five malpractice suits filed against them, seeking an aggregate total of $6.3 million. ' In 1960, total malpractice premiums in the United States were $60 million; by 1975, the total will be about $1 billion....

Medical malpractice.

Few issues in health care spark as much ire and angst as medical-malpractice litigation. Physicians revile malpractice claims as random events that visit unwarranted expense and emotional pain on competent, hardworking practitioners. Commentators lament the “lawsuit lottery,” which provides windfalls for some patients, but no compensation for the vast majority of patients injured by medical car...

An Explosion in Medical Malpractice Litigation