Question: “Is there a place to check on whether a doctor has had disciplinary actions brought against him or her?”
From: Kathy H., of Stigler, OK
Answer: Kathy, thank you for your excellent question. We spend a great deal of time shopping for a new car, including test drives, checking Consumer Report and the Blue Book for value, but how much time do we spend researching physician qualifications and disciplinary actions against that physician. Below are a few websites to check on a physician’s training and disciplinary history:
- www.abms.org (American Board of Medical Specialties) to check if your physician is board certified,
- http://webapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/html/patient.html (American Medical Association’s website) to check where your physician went to school, residency, and fellowship
- www.docboard.org to check on whether the physician has disciplinary action or malpractice suits filed against him/her
- www.healthgrades.com will provide information on physicians and hospitals
- Check your county or state medical society for information
Ruthann Russo, PhD, JD, MPH, RHIT, is a healthcare expert with more than 20 years of experience working in and advising healthcare organizations.
