The specter of medical malpractice in the United States has assumed crisis proportions. The American Medical Association has declared that malpractice issues are at least "serious and deteriorating" in 44 states.1 Public awareness has been heightened by sporadic reports of physician work stoppages or closures (at least temporary) of hospital high-risk services (eg, emergency rooms, obstetrics).2 In addition, physician outmigration has occurred from the most egregiously affected regions. A crossroads in American medicine has been reached that both threatens public access to quality care and further endangers an already limited supply of subspecialty physician providers.3,4 Conversely, public disclosure of medical error and negligence5,6 has prompted reasonable demands for responsibility among healthcare providers and compensation to the injured parties. The multiple and diverse factors that have contributed to the current crisis, its medical and public ramifications, and potential remedies are detailed in the present issue of Circulation by Donald J...