How to Check on the Disciplinary Action of a Doctor

According to the Institute of Medicine, a recent research report on medical fatalities found that 98,000 patients were killed in error while undergoing a medical procedure or through general errors committed by physicians. The average American may not know how to check the disciplinary record of their doctors and subsequently may be putting their health in danger. You can check up on a doctor and determine if your health care may be compromised through becoming a patient of an unscrupulous physician.

Things You'll Need

• Medical license number of the physician

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Instructions

• 1

  Locate the full name of the physician and any licensing information, such as the medical license number and the state the physician is licensed to practice in. If you don't have the license number of the doctor, go to the secretary of state website where you believe the doctor is licensed and perform a license check by first and last name.

• 2

  Go to www.mdnationwide.org and locate the "Medical Doctor Rating" link located at the top of the website.

• 3

  Click on the "Disciplinary Actions" link located in the drop down box.

• 4

  Contact the state medical board in the state where the doctor practices. If the doctor has any complaints that are unfounded or still under investigation, this information will not usually be public. Complaints that have been substantiated and settled do become a public record and you can request this information from the medical board.