Malpractice and the Dermatologist The possibility of being sued, the cost of malpractice insurance, and the time spent considering the implications of malpractice are playing an increasingly important role in the practice of dermatology. In northern California, the number of yearly claims for all physicians rose from 11.8 per 100 physicians in 1968 to 21 per 100 physicians in 1969. The rise in the number of claims has been accompanied by a rapid rise in insurance premiums. In northern California, the average premium has risen 400% since 1968. In southern California, a 400% increase occurred between 1967 and 1969 alone. Recently, the rises have been even more spectacular. In California and New York, the major insurance carriers have decided to drop the medical malpractice insurance entirely. Medicolegal Organizations As the magnitude of the malpractice problem increases, organizational attempts to find solutions have also increased. In 1971, the secretary of the Department of Health, Education,