THE EDITOR'S CORNER

Probably the greatest way to avoid malpractice suits is to think twice before suing for payment of an overdue bill or placing the account in the hands of a credit agency which may bring suit.

However, what to do about overdue bills? You can press for payment with letters and phone calls. You can ask, reason, plead. If the case is still in treatment, you have a certain amount of leverage since you can interrupt treatment and you can remove the appliances (with the parents' concurrence) and wait until the financial problem is resolved.

Experience has shown that most malpractice suits are countersuits in response to suits brought by doctors for payment of fees due. Many times, there is simply poor communication between doctor and patient; and you have to think that many times lawyers are responsible for these suits. A patient may be truly dissatisfied with the treatment received. However, most of the time it is a matter of a good offense being the best defense.

You have to evaluate how much money is involved; how much it will cost to collect it, even if it is collected; what is the hazard of a countersuit; is there anything to be said on the other side; what will it mean to you personally and professionally to be subjected to a malpractice suit; what is the hazard of losing malpractice coverage in the process.

These and other matters related to malpractice suits are covered in detail in this issue by one of the country's leading authorities on the subject, in an interview beginning on page 28.