Judge Directed Negotiation-Another Solution for Medical Liability Reform

A new program known as "judge-directed negotiation" is being tested in New York as a way to solve some of the malpractice liability issues discussed earlier this month in this blog.  Under this program, Judges are involved in the cases from the start and actively suggest settlements.  This helps resolve malpractice cases years earlier, prevents lengthy appeals and allows those patients that truly have been harmed to receive compensation much earlier than usual.  This may be another notch in the tort reform belt that aids in reducing the malpractice crisis.  See this recent article in the New York Times for more information: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/13/nyregion/to-curb-malpractice-costs-judges-jump-in-early.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper