Medicolegal issues with regard to melanoma and pigmented lesions in dermatopathology

Understanding malpractice risk and practicing risk management strategies results in better care and a less stressful environment of practice. Errors in diagnosis are most commonly related to melanoma and neoplasms of the skin. To offset the threat of malpractice litigation, malpractice data can be used to focus safety efforts on common diagnostic errors. Recognition of sources of error in the analysis of pigmented lesions by dermatopathologists, and the development of new immunohistochemical or genotypic techniques for the recognition and distinction of malignant disease from benign pigmented lesions, will also provide important improvements in care and diagnosis in the future.