How to Prevent Medical Malpractice

When a physician or other medical professional causes injury due to an improper or negligent act or because of his failure to act, it is called medical malpractice. The consequences for the patient can be severe and even life threatening. While you can seek retribution in court, it is preferable to prevent malpractice in the first place. To do so, you must take an active role in your health care.

Instructions

• 1

  Research any physician that you consider using. Go to the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) DocInfo website, which is a national database for all medical boards, and search for information regarding education, disciplinary actions and licenses. Request immediate information online by clicking on the “Get Immediate Results” link. Fill in the online request form and pay the required fee by credit card. To receive the report by mail, click on the “FSMB Profile Request” link to download the request form. Your results will be processed in five to seven days and sent to you by mail. Send your completed form with the appropriate fee to:

  The Federation of State Medical Boards

  Attn: Physician Profiles

  P.O. Box 972507

  Dallas, Texas 75397-2507

• 2

  Inform the doctor of your complete medical history. Provide your doctor with a written list of all of your medications, include herbs and vitamins. Inform the doctor of your medication and general allergies. Tell him if you currently suffer or previously have suffered from any illness or disease and if there is a family history of disease.

• 3

  Ask questions regarding your care. Seek clarification in plain, non-technical terms regarding anything that you do not understand. Inquire about side effects of prescriptions and possible interaction with other medications. If a certain type of treatment or surgery is recommended, ask about risk factors, its history of success and how many times the doctor or surgeon has performed that procedure. Express any concerns you may have.

• 4

  Bring your spouse or family member to your appointments. It is often difficult to remember everything that is being said at a medical visit. If you are seeing your doctor for a serious concern, bring a trusted family member who is familiar with your symptoms. They will be able to help you in remembering certain aspects of your appointment later and may be able to provide important information during the visit.

• 5

  Confirm your prescriptions at the pharmacy. Compare the name of the prescription drug with the one given to you by the doctor. Some medications are given in generic form, but are the same drug only with a different name. Verify that they are in actuality the same medication and that it has been approved by your doctor. Clarify any differences in your prescription with your doctor.

• 6

  Request a primary doctor when in the hospital. Ensure that everyone involved in your health care is on the same page by having one doctor in charge of your care. This will help to eliminate any confusion, particularly if you are suffering from more than one illness.