Have you ever reported a physician for malpractice or incomptence?

1. I was just curious if anyone has ever reported a physician for malpractice or incomptence? And I don't necessarily mean to your administration. Have you actually ever reported a doctor to the medical board or whatever governing body takes care of such issues? If so, did anything happen? Did you get into trouble with the administration for reporting the doctor(s)? I know we have all threatened at one time or another to report Dr. So and So, but has anyone actually followed through with the complaint?

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2. 

   About deespoohbear

   Joined: Aug '01; Posts: 2,276; Likes: 42
   RN

   7 Comments

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3. 
   Dec 14, '01

   Not to the medical board. I have, however , reported to the academic head of the teaching service.
   
   Somehow those guys hold nurses in pretty high respect, and they pay attention to our opinions of the ones assigned in their service.
   
   Calling the medical board is kind of a joke. All you get is a form letter saying there have been no sanctions. What on earth that means I have no idea.
4. 
   Dec 14, '01

   I have reported a physician to a Canadian board but I was his patient, not a nurse. The process was long an frustrating, and they only told me what they had to to shut me up. However I got to read his reply to my complaints, and they were very revealing to me, just reinforced how I had felt all along- no more guilt. And I embarassed the hell out of him, and he had to go to "supervised" practice for a period of time. The board's final letter confirmed that they agreed that he acted improperly, which made me feel better.
   
   As a nurse I have reported a doc to the hospital for verbal abuse and for hurting or ignoring a patient, with good results. I do not think that going beyond the hospital to air dirty laundry would be seen as a positive move by anyone, even those who agree that the doc is incompetent. If I felt that I had to do that I would be ready to leave the facility.
5. 
   Dec 15, '01

   I have reported incompetant physicians to the president of the medical staff. He listened but did nothing. They usually stick up for each other no matter what. I've never gone any higher than that. Md's never like to discipline each other, so it's usally a waste of time.
6. 
   Dec 15, '01

   I have reported a physician to our Nursing Adminstator but I think that it stopped with her. The doctor in question didn't even know how to appropriately order therapeutic Lovenox doses for a CVA patient. I questioned him about the dosage(way too low) and then proceeded to tactfully suggest the correct dosage. He was very receptive and the patient was treated properly with Lovenox. Scary!
7. 
   Dec 16, '01

   I reported a doctor who was treating my husband.... He diagnosed my husband as having anxiety and the prescribed Xanax 2 mg 3 times a day. Wayyyyyyyyy to much........... My husband had crushing back injuries L4 thru S1 from a work injury (he was a firefighter) Any way he was 4x s/p revision of l4 thru S1 and had a neurogenic bladder and well that medicine combined with his other medications and the bladder condition caused kidney failure and motor paralytic neurogenic bladder and damned near killed him. There's more to it serious gross malpractice, and when I reported him I found he had 5 other complaints against him, so they are taking action against him.... But now my hubby has to be on medication for this the rest of his life and may need dyalisis one day......... it was a very horrible experience
8. 
   Dec 18, '01

   Yes, I reported a Physician once to the Medical Board of Licensing. They took it very seriously, conducted a full investigation, and the hospital where this doctor worked was booted out the door of their facility, fired from the group with which she practiced, but no action was taken against her license.
   
   She merely bought property on the other side of town and opened her own private practice. This was 14 years ago and she's still practicing.
   
   So much for the bottom line.........."safety."
9. 
   Dec 18, '01

   No I haven't had to do that. I have been lucky to work with mostly competent docs.
   
   I did have a group of docs write a letter about me to my manager however. I question everything that seems out of place. It appears these docs found my questions offensive. Can you believe that? Offensive?? They felt like I was questioning their practice. So I told my manager I was questioning their practice and that as far as I was concerned that was part of my job. No more comments, but I still question everything that seems out of line.

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