Where We Live: Dubious Docs

There are many tools out there to help guide our choice in physicians but new reports by C-HIT and Pro Publica ask, how much can we trust our doctors? 

 

When choosing a doctor, we’d like to use a word-of-mouth referral.  But in a world where not all doctors are part of everyone’s health plan, many people are throwing darts at a wall.  

 

Not all doctors come with clean track record, and a recent report by the Connecticut Health Investigative Team shows that many out of state doctors with a history of disciplinary actions are slipping through the cracks of Connecticut’s public health department.  

 

Today we talk about the best ways to learn about our doctors.

 

Armed with internet tools like Health Grades and RateMd.com we can do some of our own research, but how reliable are these resources? 

 

And we’ll look at a new reports by Pro Publica – including  “Dollars For Docs” - a public database revealing doctors and the amount of money they’ve accepted from pharmaceutical companies.

 

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While we respect the efforts of Public Health Citizen Research Group to promote health care quality, we do not feel their report is a fair representation of the actions taken by the Connecticut State Medical Board to protect the public.  The group makes its rankings of medical boards using a narrow slice of information: what it calls “serious” disciplinary actions (revocations, suspensions, probation/restrictions).  However, Public Citizen ignores the wide range of other sanctions Connecticut’s board uses to regulate physicians (reprimands, censures, fines, warnings, letters of concern, voluntary surrenders, etc.).  What may seem like a less serious disciplinary action or non-prejudicial action to Public Citizen, is not a “non-action.”  It can be just as effective a tool in protecting the public.

Connecticut closely monitors actions taken against physicians in other states who are also licensed in Connecticut.  The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) maintains an all licensed physicians database that includes licensure information and disciplinary actions taken by all states that contribute information.  The FSMB regularly reports sanctions that have been taken in other states against Connecticut licensed physicians.  The department reviews these reports to identify the Connecticut -licensed physicians who have been disciplined in other states, and determines on a case by case basis how to proceed.  We also obtain this information via other mechanisms such as self-reports from physicians and direct reports of the sanctions from other states.  Many actions have been taken by the Board based on actions taken in another state.

When receiving information that a Connecticut licensed physician has been sanctioned in another state, it is reviewed just like any other complaint we receive to determine whether further investigation and action is warranted.  The Connecticut Medical Examining Board does not have the statutory authority to take action against a physician's license based solely on the fact that an action has been taken in another state.  The department reviews such actions and determines how to proceed on a case by case basis.

Please also note that, pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes (20-13e), investigations into the care provided by physicians is not subject to disclosure until such time as a formal disciplinary action has been taken or 18 months has elapsed since the opening of the case.  Therefore, the Department of Public Health is unable to confirm or deny an investigation into the physicians discussed in Ms. Chedekel’s article.