Was Your Doctor Ever Banned From Practice? You May Never Find Out
Here's a scary thought. Thousands of doctors who have been banned by hospitals can still obtain medical licenses in other states. According to Peter Eisler and Barbara Hansen, USA TODAY, "Despite years of criticism, the nation's state medical boards continue to allow thousands of physicians to keep practicing medicine after findings of serious misconduct that puts patients at risk, a USA TODAY investigation shows." Yes, many of the doctors have been barred by hospitals or other medical facilities, but hundreds have paid millions of dollars to resolve malpractice claims, the two report. "Yet their medical licenses — and their ability to inflict harm — remain intact." This isn't true in every state but the alarming fact remains, "State and federal records still paint a grim picture of a physician oversight system that often is slow to act, quick to excuse problems, and struggling to manage workloads in an era of tight state budgets." • E...