Frivolous lawsuits are especially common in the medical field. Critics contend that to avoid them, doctors order extra tests on patients they would not have conducted otherwise. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, frivolous medical lawsuits cost the United States $70-$126 per year. Others deny that medical malpractice suits play a significant role in the cost of health care, and claim that they protect patients from substandard care. According to one study, less than one-half of 1 percent of health-care spending is tied to frivolous lawsuits. It has been suggested that the prospect of medical malpractice lawsuits make hospitals more efficient, and less prone to harm patients through negligence or misdiagnosis.