A change in the way in which individuals who are “harmed” by the health care system may be compensated. In the U.S., patients injured through malpractice or otherwise generally file a lawsuit seeking damages; such suits themselves cost a great deal, take up a lot of time and resources, and may result in enormous sums to the patient. It has been suggested that alternatives might be more fair, result in faster (and often more useful) settlements, and save money. Tort reform is sometimes, in the health care context, referred to as “malpractice reform,” although it is not necessarily limited to malpractice cases.