Apparently, all it takes is for doctors to 'fess up when they mess up. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/11/12/apology_a_tool_to_avoid_malpractice_suits/ The University of Michigan Health System has seen a 50% in the number of suits and a 67% drop in attorney's fees since they implemented a policy of encouraging doctors to apologize to their patients. This makes complete sense, considering that the patient's emotional response to treatment and the doctor seems to be the best predictor of who will file a malpractice suit.