Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) refers to techniques used to resolve conflicts without going to the courtroom. As healthcare and malpractice costs continue to rise, there is growing interest in tactics such as early apology, mediation, and arbitration in the medical arena. A major obstacle to more widespread use of ADR in the medical malpractice field is the National Practitioner’s Data Bank (NPDB). The problem with the NPDB is that it discourages the efficient settlement of nonnegligence cases. The vast majority of malpractice cases filed do not contain negligence. Patients often sue as a result of emotional reasons or as a result of unrealized expectations. It would be inefficient for both parties to thoroughly litigate such a case.

The following is the link to the reviwed article:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3314770/