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Before you go see a doctor, look him/her up. Just do it. Take a minute & go to http://www.docinfo.org/ and find out in which states they are or have been licensed and if they have any actions against them in those states. You may have to visit the state board of med website, too.
I know this seems like a random Tweet and maybe not that a significant thing in life right now.
But it's not random. And it is significant.
And I don't mean "Google" the doctor. They can have great reviews on some random site and also have administrative actions against them.
But it's not random. And it is significant.
And I don't mean "Google" the doctor. They can have great reviews on some random site and also have administrative actions against them.
This is about a nurse, not a doctor, and from 2014, but it gives you a decent example of how a medical professional's license can remain active, and they can continue practicing, despite being under investigation and having actions against them. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/nurse-continued-to-work-in-dc-maryland-despite-allegations-of-sexual-abuse/2014/12/20/4711b660-73d2-11e4-a589-1b102c2f81d0_story.html
Sadly, in DC, the Board "rarely punishes physicians". "Fourteen physicians with DC licenses went unpunished by the board although they were disciplined...for criminal convictions, sexual misconduct or questionable medical care." (2005, but still relevant) https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2005/04/11/dc-board-rarely-punishes-physicians/a1c2c36a-26ab-42ef-b450-2a4b4c7d5fef/
"The board received roughly 318 complaints against physicians between 1999 and 2004 for allegations ranging from negligent medical care to sexual assault, but only four of the physicians were disciplined." https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2005/04/11/dc-board-rarely-punishes-physicians/a1c2c36a-26ab-42ef-b450-2a4b4c7d5fef/
The D.C. board has "consistently been one of the worst in the country," said Sidney M. Wolfe, director of the Public Citizen's Health Research Group (2005) https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2005/04/11/dc-board-rarely-punishes-physicians/a1c2c36a-26ab-42ef-b450-2a4b4c7d5fef/
"...the methods used to investigate and discipline incompetent doctors are deeply flawed." (2005 WaPo Opinion) https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2005/04/14/disciplining-doctors/20449bfc-e0cf-4192-92f2-aefc26b120cd/
In the state of Maryland in 2017, there were 1533 resolved and 341 unresolved allegations against licensees. On average it took the Maryland Board of Physicians 115 days to resolve allegations. https://www.mbp.state.md.us/forms/annual_report2017.pdf
According to Maryland Code, Health Occupations § 1-212, a licensing health occupations board can "reprimand," "place on probation," or "suspend" the license of a physician who violates sexual misconduct regulations. They do not have to take away the license.
Each year, each health occupations board submits a statistical report regarding sexual misconduct to the Secretary of Health. The Secretary compiles the information received from the boards and submita an annual report to the General Assembly. Source: https://codes.findlaw.com/md/health-occupations/md-code-health-occ-sect-1-212.html
I wonder how we feel about the Maryland General Assembly reviewing those reports, considering...
(2018) https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-sexual-harssment-annapolis-20180216-story.html
(2018) https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-sexual-harssment-annapolis-20180216-story.html
I mean...
https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-sexual-harssment-annapolis-20180216-story.html
https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-sexual-harssment-annapolis-20180216-story.html
I digress...
Back to that report on sexual misconduct among licensed health professionals in Maryland...
Here's what it should include:
https://codes.findlaw.com/md/health-occupations/md-code-health-occ-sect-1-212.html
Back to that report on sexual misconduct among licensed health professionals in Maryland...
Here's what it should include:
https://codes.findlaw.com/md/health-occupations/md-code-health-occ-sect-1-212.html
I can't seem to find a report more recent than FY17. In FY17, the report says, "Maryland ranked fifth in transparency regarding sexual misconduct cases" among licensed health professionals (p. 15).
https://www.mbp.state.md.us/forms/annual_report2017.pdf
https://www.mbp.state.md.us/forms/annual_report2017.pdf
The FY17 Annual Report states there were 5 resolved sexual misconduct cases and 3 unresolved allegations. (p. 4)
Resolved allegations could mean a fine, suspension, probation; unresolved, if not involving a suspension, could mean actively practicing.
https://www.mbp.state.md.us/forms/annual_report2017.pdf
Resolved allegations could mean a fine, suspension, probation; unresolved, if not involving a suspension, could mean actively practicing.
https://www.mbp.state.md.us/forms/annual_report2017.pdf
So, what do you do, as a patient, to be proactive and keep yourself safe?
Visit http://docinfo.org .
Find out where a physician is licensed.
Visit the board of physicians/medicine for that state/those states.
For example, go to Maryland's: https://www.mbp.state.md.us/
Visit http://docinfo.org .
Find out where a physician is licensed.
Visit the board of physicians/medicine for that state/those states.
For example, go to Maryland's: https://www.mbp.state.md.us/
On the Maryland Board of Physician's website, you can scroll down and find "Access recent Board actions." This will allow you to view disciplinary alerts, sanctions, and more. https://www.mbp.state.md.us/disciplinary.aspx
You can click on a health professional's name to read more information about why they were sanctioned. Maryland BoP seems to only go back to 2014. But older documents should be on http://docinfo.org . https://www.mbp.state.md.us/disciplinary.aspx#
For example, a search on http://docinfo.org produces this result. To get the most recent documents for this particular health professional, you have to go to Maryland's Board site.
It's all quite simple, even if it doesn't seem so.
The point is, it's worth it.
#MeToo
It's all quite simple, even if it doesn't seem so.
The point is, it's worth it.
#MeToo
" @RAINN and @WomensHealthMag surveyed nearly 500 women and found reports of sexual misconduct by a doctor — reported by 27 percent of the women — ranged from inappropriate touching and sexual comments to masturbation during an exam and rape."
Source: https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2017/01/decades-of-doctor-patient-sexual-assault-raise-questions-of-transparency
Source: https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2017/01/decades-of-doctor-patient-sexual-assault-raise-questions-of-transparency
"In 2000, Rep. Tom Bliley, R-Va., sponsored a bill to allow public access to the National Practitioner Data Bank, a federal db of physicians’ disciplinary histories originally intended to be open but later exempted from FOIA. Bliley’s bill failed, in part due to AMA lobbying."
Source for previous Tweet: https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2017/01/decades-of-doctor-patient-sexual-assault-raise-questions-of-transparency
Tacoma (2015) - physician accused of sexual misconduct with patient is reinstated https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article45481017.html
The is the website for the National Practitioner Data Bank. I haven't used it before, so 
. Query fees are waived because of COVID-19. https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/
. Query fees are waived because of COVID-19. https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/
