How to Handle Medical Board Complaints and Investigations

First, a disclaimer: I am not an attorney, and this is not intended to be legal advice. Any specific questions or concerns you may have should be directed to your legal counsel. The recommendations in this article are my own opinions and do not represent those of SHM, McLeod Health, or any other entity. Few things cause panic in a doctor’s life like a phone call or letter from a state medical board. That initial call or letter can tarnish reputations and threaten and potentially end careers. I recently responded to a post on a popular physician forum on social media concerning a physician who had a complaint filed against her to her state medical board. I mentioned that I review complaints for my state medical board and offered my free advice, which she gladly welcomed. Soon after, I received a handful of requests from other physicians across the country going through similar situations, which led to the realization that this is a large and frequent issue that can be incredibly stressful for the physician in question and their family. Please keep in mind that state medical boards exist for one specific reason—to protect the citizens of their state from haphazard and/or dangerous medical care. They do not exist to protect physicians. Each state’s medical board operates differently and independently based on its bylaws, which are formed and regulated by the state legislature, not the state medical board. You can usually find your state’s bylaws on its website. The state...
Source: The Hospitalist - Category: Hospital Management Authors: Tags: Business of Medicine Career Source Type: research