Patients may find it difficult to learn if their doctor has been accused.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s national investigation of doctor sexual abuse found that procedures and the level of public access to medical board investigations vary from one state to the next. In many states, learning whether a doctor has a history of sexual misconduct or other offenses can be remarkably difficult.
Some cases are handled in confidential proceedings, public documents may obscure the details of a physician’s transgression or records of disciplinary cases may not be posted online.
With those caveats in mind, there are ways to learn what’s available in your state, starting with your state medical board and national web sites such as HealthGrades.com and docinfo.org.
