Doctor-lawyer project in Pennsylvania tackles malpractice

Members of the Montgomery County, PA, bar association and medical society, along with Abington Memorial Hospital, are launching a pilot project they hope will keep more malpractice disputes out of court. Lawyers and doctors will work in teams to mediate conflicts between patients and the hospital or doctors to try to resolve problems more quickly and humanely. John J. Kelly, Abington Memorial's chief of staff, said that instead of saving money, he wants to avoid the "harshness" of litigation.