Nobody is perfect. However, when a doctor or a surgeon makes a mistake, the consequences can be devastating. It’s important that you are comfortable with your doctor. Looking up his or her history of medical malpractice complaints can either put your mind at ease or save you from potential disaster.
How to Find a Doctor’s Malpractice History
- FSMB – The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) has an online resource called DocInfo. This nationwide database includes a list of any disciplinary action that may have been taken against any doctor in the US. You can run a search for your physician or surgeon after paying a small fee.
- California State Medical Board – Every state has a medical board which handles licenses and disciplinary action. You can visit the California State Medical Board’s website to check the status of your doctor’s license, file a complaint or search public records for a history of complaints.
- State Department Health Services – It is also a good idea to look up the hospital where your chosen doctor practices. The facility itself may have a record of complaints against it. A hospital with more complaints than normal should be avoided whenever possible. You can find a hospital’s history by visiting the California Department of Health Services here.
- Check Your Doctor’s Rating – If you are “shopping” for a doctor, you should consider checking their rating on the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a non-profit organization which tracks a doctor’s quality of care towards patients and then grades them.
- Due Diligence – The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to do exactly what you are doing right now; research. Make sure to check your doctor’s background as they may have moved from another state in an attempt to cover up a history of complaints. Knowing the types of medical malpractice claims can also be helpful. You can learn more about that by following this link.
The medical malpractice lawyers at Mitchell Leeds, LLP have the experience and resources to find the party liable for your injury. We offer free consultations and are standing by to help.
