Resources for Researching Doctor and Hospital Complaints

Resources for Researching Doctor and Hospital Complaints is a post from: http://www.personalinjurylawyercalgaryinc.ca/

Before anyone sets out to the doctor or the hospital; a little research should be done. Taking the time to adequately check a physician or hospital’s records can help prevent patients from falling victim to incompetent care. Rather than reading online reviews or trusting word of mouth, there are several resources available to confirm whether any previous incidences of complaint or malpractice have occurred.

First, the prospective patient should check for evaluations or grades. Certain insurance companies compile information about doctors that are in their network. This information can be obtained on the insurance website or by contacting the insurance company by phone. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) grades physicians based on information they have gathered about their quality of care. Not all physicians have been graded or evaluated by these entities.

More serious instances of malpractice or disciplinary action can be found at the federal and state level. First, court records should show whether the doctor has been sued in the patient’s current state. In some states, this information is available online. Court records can also be obtained by going to the court house directly. Although, a doctor has been sued, this does not necessarily mean any wrongdoing was committed. Second, most state medical boards have databases online that can be freely searched. If not, the American Medical Association can provide contact information for patients looking to check for any instances of disciplinary action, physician’s license suspension, or physician license revocation. Third, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) has a database that can be accessed for $10. This database, called DocInfo, provides nationwide information on disciplinary action against doctors.

Hospitals should also be thoroughly researched before admittance for any procedure, surgery, or stay. Information about complaints filed against a patient’s hospital can be found through the patient’s state department of health services. Complaints can range from inadequate discharge instruction and early discharge to unnecessary procedures and prescription drug errors.

Hospital and medical professionals are entrusted with providing quality and timely care to vulnerable patients. No one should go in to any medical office, clinic, or hospital without some knowledge of those who will be caring for them. There are several gateways to important information so that patients can be confident in knowing that there is no history of serious error with their chosen doctor or hospital.

Read our Previous Post about the different types of medical malpractice!