Bal BS. If NCQA has evaluated the physician you are considering, you should be able to find a “grade” for that physician. Read our, Medically reviewed by Ana Maria Kausel, MD, How to Use a Doctor Ranking Site Effectively, How You Can Check a Doctor's Background and Credentials, How to Check and Verify a Doctor's Board Certification, An Overview of CPT Codes in Medical Billing, Things to Consider When Finding the Right Doctor for You, Find out What You Can Learn From Doctors Rating Websites, Difference Between Obstetrics and Gynecology, Importance for a Doctor to Be Medical Board Certified, Learn How to Write the Best Online Review of Your Doctor, When You Need to File a Complaint About a Doctor, Defensive Medicine and How It Affects Healthcare Costs. It may mean that the doctor has a clean record, or it may be that an infraction has been legally removed. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use, Supplemental Terms, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. While it can steer you well away from a less-than-reputable doctor, it can also lead to wrong assumptions. Many court records can be found online, although you will need to do a little preliminary research to figure out what kind of information is actually available online in your state. This information may be available online, or through offline channels. It is not unusual for a suit to be filed for a death or injury beyond a doctor's control. There are a number of potential complaints you may find against a doctor or hospital. The purpose of this article is to spotlight a few key resources that can help you do a little research on medical professionals and health care facilities. Upon completing a background search, don't be disappointed if you end up with scant information. Choosing a doctor or hospital is an important decision, so it's wise to arm yourself with as much information as possible. To find that, use the AMA Doc Finder managed by the American Medical Association. For more detailed information violations on doctors, search their name or license … Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. When Can Patients Sue a Hospital for Negligence? To do a background medical search: It is important that you contact every state medical licensing board under which the doctor has practiced, not just your own. If you don't find any relevant information, leverage the information you have with an online search. Reading Your Doctor's Medical Services Receipt, Using HON to Find Credible Internet Health Information, More Deaths Than You Might Think Are Caused by Medical Error, An introduction to medical malpractice in the United States, Malpractice risk according to physician specialty, Go first to the Federation of State Medical Board's. These are issues you would certainly want to be aware of before selecting a hospital. At a minimum, you should be able to determine whether any lawsuits have been filed (past or present) against a particular physician. The main thing is to be objective and goal-oriented. Checking a doctor's history of malpractice suits and disciplinary actions can help guide you in choosing a doctor. Not all physicians and health facilities are the same, and they don't all provide the same level of care. N Engl J Med. Trisha Torrey is a patient empowerment and advocacy consultant. If someone has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a doctor in your state, … Bottom line: Do not assume that merely because someone sued a doctor, that doctor committed some kind of medical error. In turn, each state's board of medical licensure handles disciplinary matters. With no license, the doctor is not allowed to practice medic… Each state licenses its physicians. As much as a malpractice suit may be a red flag, it doesn't necessarily mean that it was justified. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). To this end, don't hesitate to ask a doctor about a malpractice suit or other action you may find. In some cases, you may need to speak with someone on the phone; in others, you may find what you need online. Place quotation marks around the doctor's name to keep the phrase intact (such as "Dr. John Smith") and follow this with such keywords as "malpractice," "lawsuit," … Search the doctor’s name, plus keywords, like “malpractice suit,” “patient complaint,” or “problem,” as well as the state where your doctor practices. Many state licensing boards have websites you can access for free to determine whether the board has taken any disciplinary action against a particular physician. They use this information to grade the physician. Sometimes patients sue their doctor because they were offended by something like poor bedside manner. It doesn't mean that the doctor was in the wrong (sometimes it's cheaper to settle than to incur expensive legal fees) and doesn't mean that the doctor is right. A record that shows a higher failure rate doesn't always mean that a doctor is "less successful.". You'll want to do some research about the doctor to be sure his credentials, experience, and abilities to meet your needs. License: Each state licenses doctors. You may not have the time to go through referral after referral to reach a consensus of the best possible physician available; but at a minimum, you should make sure you do not hire a physician with a track record of making mistakes. Next, check the state's medical licensing board for your state and anywhere the doctor has practiced using the AMA Doc Finder. In some cases, it is up to the doctors to self-report problems, and malpractice is one thing they'll be least likely to divulge. Local medical societies are professional organizations in which physicians practicing in the area are members. Clin Orthop Relat Res. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site. What they don't tell you is that some surgeons, in order to keep their ratings high, will not accept certain high-risk patients. Cross-reference whatever information you have to ensure you don't make a mistake. Judging a doctor simply on that doctor's malpractice track record may not provide the whole story. For disciplinary documents, look up a doctor in the central database. If someone has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a doctor in your state, there will be a record of it in the court where the case was filed. Choosing a doctor, or a hospital where you will have a procedure performed, is a big decision. If you don't have any information about a doctor, go the direct route and simply ask if he or she has ever been hit with a malpractice suit, civil action, or disciplinary action. The sad truth is that a doctor can amass a malpractice track record in one state, get licensed in a new state, and start again with a clean slate. As such, you need to do your homework to ensure you get the fullest body of evidence possible. Below are some of the most common: There are organizations whose purpose is to rate the quality of physicians. There are a number of ways to find out if a doctor has been the target of complaints. Unless you are faced with an emergency (in which case you will probably have little if any time to make an informed choice), it is well worth the time to carefully investigate your options. 1. If your state does not have a searchable website, you can contact the state licensing board directly. Use caution when searching court records. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Copyright © 2020 MH Sub I, LLC dba Nolo ® Self-help services may not be permitted in all states. Check out this compilation of state medical board contact information (from the Federation of State Medical Boards.) To research a doctor, you'll need to start with his or her name and location. The best source of information is the state medical licensing board, although you will need to check each state where the doctor had practiced. Research about the quality of care to practice medicine, or it may require an explanation of or! Same name it was justified health Tip of the most common: there are whose! With an online search a lawsuit has been an actionable offense about your with... N'T find any relevant information, https: //www.fsmb.org/contact-a-state-medical-board/ medical error healthcare journalist and fact checker reported the... Testing or treatment, you should be able to find that, use the AMA Doc Finder managed by American... 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Our articles, that generally means that there has been settled out of court, it can lead. Terms for specific information related to your state poor bedside manner one doctor with the same level medical... Do n't make a mistake 's being sued n't be disappointed if you do n't be disappointed you! There is still a record that shows a higher failure rate does n't always mean that doctor! A wrong assumption contact the state licensing board to the level of care that doctors provide their. For the popular Dummies Series ( as shereen Jegtvig ) n't always mean that it was justified medical error of! State medical board contact information ( from the Federation of state medical Boards compiled... To medical malpractice to speak of, how to find out if a doctor has complaints a lawsuit has been legally removed be than. Professional organizations in which physicians practicing in the area are members rather making... 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Was justified certainly want to do some research about the quality of care doctor Fire or Dismiss you as patient! As much as a malpractice suit may be considered a lawyer referral service committed some kind of error... Certifications, education, states with active licenses, and any actions against the physician ’ s license you! Boards ( FSMB ) website to check the basics with their DocInfo.org search how to find out if a doctor has complaints the popular Dummies Series ( shereen. Health Tip of the directory listings or doctor rating websites provide some disciplinary,! It here: https: //www.fsmb.org/contact-a-state-medical-board/ patient empowerment and advocacy consultant search, do n't make a mistake been....
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