Diederich Healthcare, a medical liability insurance and consulting company, has performed a comprehensive analysis of medical malpractice payouts in 2013 based on records from the National Practitioner Data Bank.  The National Practitioner Data Bank is a clearinghouse of information regarding medical malpractice payments and other adverse actions taken against medical professionals.  According to Diederich, there was a 4.7% increase in malpractice payouts nationwide in 2013.  This is the first time medical malpractice payouts have increased since 2003.  Moreover, the total amount of malpractice payouts in 2013 was the highest it has been since 2009.  A total of $3,733,678,100 was paid out on medical malpractice claims in 2013.  This was $168 million more than was paid out in 2012.  In Pennsylvania specifically, there was an increase of $43 million in 2013, as compared to total malpractice payouts in 2012.  Also noteworthy, the number of payouts that resulted from judgments, as opposed to settlements, was down in 2013.  Only 3% percent of payouts were by way of judgment.  This was down from 5% in 2012.