US data on 'bad doctors' closed to the public

[zdh]

Article

 

I know this pertains to the US healthcare system, and I don't know if Canada has anything like this at the provincial or federal level, but I thought it would make for some interesting discussion.

 

Do you feel records of disciplinary action against physicians should be made available to the public (in general, not specifically in the US or in Canada), and if so, should physician names be published or withheld?

[Jochi1543]

If a doctor is found guilty of violating professional conduct, it's definitely published here in Alberta. You can find a list of docs with past disciplinary actions on the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta website. Also, if you search for a doc on there, it will say whether there's been any action or practice limits against them.

 

I recently looked up a bunch of docs and found that one doc my boyfriend has seen a few times is due for a hearing (a stage to which very few complaints make, maybe 1% IIRC). He currently has practice limitations regarding female patients. It certainly put what I had perceived as his general douchiness into perspective. Unfortunately, it's not like we have a lot of other options.

[future_doc]

Do you feel records of disciplinary action against physicians should be made available to the public (in general, not specifically in the US or in Canada), and if so, should physician names be published or withheld?

 

Absolutely with the physician names published. This is for the protection of the public so they are "informed". Anything less makes no sense.

[Robin Hood]

Absolutely with the physician names published. This is for the protection of the public so they are "informed". Anything less makes no sense.

 

+1.

10chars