How to Do a Backround Check on a Doctor

If you need medical care, you want to make sure you have a good doctor. Doctors may not tell patients about past complaints or disciplinary actions taken against them, but you can verify that your doctor holds a valid license to practice medication and find out if the state medical board has taken any disciplinary action against him in the past. You can also find out if your doctor holds board certification in her area of medical specialty, meaning she has demonstrated competency by passing exams and she continues her education in that field.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask your doctor for information about his credentials, such as where he went to school, his medical license number, whether he holds board certification in his area of specialty and whether he belongs to any professional organizations like the American Medical Association, American College of Gastroenterology or American Psychiatric Association. You can do a background check on a doctor without this information but having this information makes it easier. You might also wonder why a doctor would refuse to provide such basic information if requested.

• 2

  Contact the state medical board in the state in which the doctor practices. If the doctor previously practiced in another state, you can contact the medical board in that state as well. Verify with the medical board that the doctor holds a valid license to practice medicine and ask if the board has taken any disciplinary action against the doctor in the past.

• 3

  Contact the American Board of Medical Specialties at 866-ASK-ABMS (275-2267) to verify that your doctor is board certified or visit them online. Contact the individual medical specialty board by which your doctor says she has been certified if you prefer. Doctors do not have to become board certified to practice a medical specialty so lack of certification does not indicate your doctor is not a good doctor; however, something is wrong if a doctor claims to hold board certification when she really does not.

• 4

  Contact any professional organizations to which your doctor says he belongs and ask if he is indeed a member in good standing. Membership eligibility criteria vary from organization to organization, so ask what doctors must do to become a member of a particular organization. If all they have to do to join is pay a membership fee, that doesn't tell you much about a doctor's competence or skill.