Malpractice reform must include steps to prevent medical injury

Abstract

In the current malpractice insurance crisis, physicians have focused their advocacy and energy primarily on rapidly increasing liability premiums; problems in access to care; and demands for legal reform, especially caps on damages. An even more important focus, however, is prevention of injury and improvement of patient safety. Physicians largely control patient care and can play a critical role in systematically reducing injury. Reforms should go beyond liability issues; they should also harness and enhance physicians' ability to act. More visible efforts by physicians to reduce harm, better communication with patients and others, and true evidence of improved patient safety should reduce patient anger and litigiousness. Individually and collectively, physicians can and should ensure that "doing no harm" comes first in the malpractice debate.