State medical boards fail to discipline physicians

More than half of U.S. physicians whose negligence, malpractice, sexual abuse, fraud, or other behaviors result in censure by hospital peer review escape state medical board licensing action, according to national health watchdog group, Public Citizen.

"One of two things is happening, and either is alarming," said Public Citizen director, Sidney Wolfe, MD, in a statement. "Either state medical boards are receiving this disturbing information from hospitals but not acting on it, or much less likely, they are not receiving the information at all. Something is broken and needs to be fixed."

[via HealthLeaders Media]