--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The important question isn't how to keep…" description: "\"“The important question isn't how to keep bad physicians from harming patient; it's how to keep good physicians from harming patients. Medical malpract..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/atul-gawande-1871_health_the-important-question-isn-t-how-to-keep_1857355.png" --- # The important question isn't how to keep bad physicians… ![“The important question isn't how to keep bad physicians from harming patient; it's how to keep good physicians from harming patients. Medical malpractice suits are a remarkably ineffective remedy. (In reference to a Harvard Medical Practice Study)... fewer than 2 percent of the patients who had…” quote by Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/atul-gawande-1871_health_the-important-question-isn-t-how-to-keep_1857355.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/atul-gawande-1871_health_the-important-question-isn-t-how-to-keep_1857355.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/atul-gawande-1871_health_the-important-question-isn-t-how-to-keep_1857355.png) > ““The important question isn't how to keep bad physicians from harming patient; it's how to keep good physicians from harming patients. Medical malpractice suits are a remarkably ineffective remedy. (In reference to a Harvard Medical Practice Study)... fewer than 2 percent of the patients who had received substandard care ever filed suit. Conversely, only a small minority among patients who did sue had in fact been victims of negligent care. And a patient's likelihood of winning a suit depended primarily on how poor his or her outcome was, regardless of whether that outcome was caused by disease or unavoidable risks of care. The deeper problem with medical malpractice is that by demonizing errors they prevent doctors from acknowledging & discussing them publicly. The tort system makes adversaries of patient & physician, and pushes each other to offer a heavily slanted version of events. ”” [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Medical malpractice suits rarely punish bad doctors or protect patients; they create adversarial dynamics that hinder error discussion. **In simple terms:** Malpractice suits often fail to improve care and can silence doctors. Key Takeaway Reform legal processes to encourage openness. Themes medicine law ethics Mood critical thought‑provoking Type professional analytical When to use this quote - Hospital policy meetings - clinical training - patient advocacy groups Key Concepts patient safety error reporting legal reform Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance accountability with openness? - What alternatives to lawsuits could improve safety? A Different Perspective Legal changes may be politically difficult to implement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Harming Patients](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harming-patients-2477528/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Malpractice Demonizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malpractice-demonizing-2477526/) [Malpractice Suits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malpractice-suits-1351670/) [Medical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical/) [Medical Malpractice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical-malpractice-423897/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Physicians Harming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicians-harming-2477527/) ## Related quotes > [A hospital patient can expect one medical error every single day of any hospital stay. 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Conversely, only a small minority among patients who did sue had in fact been victims of negligent care. And a patient's likelihood of winning a suit depended primarily on how poor his or her outcome was, regardless of whether that outcome was caused by disease or unavoidable risks of care. The deeper problem with medical malpractice is that by demonizing errors they prevent doctors from acknowledging & discussing them publicly. 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