Malpractice is the failure on the part of a health care provider such as a doctor or hospital's nurse to comply with accepted medical standards. Fewer than one-half of 1% of the nation's doctors face any serious state sanctions for their malpractice each year. A study completed by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences estimated that as many as 98,000 patients may be killed each year in hospitals alone as a result of medical errors. The Pittman Firm, P.A., has long been privileged to represent victims of medical malpractice. The work of its senior attorney, Wes Pittman, against a military hospital for its staff's repeated malpractice in cardiac care of various retirees resulted in a worldwide change in the way the military screens chest pain patients. His efforts have been credited with saving hundreds of lives.