Recently, I came across this video for the re-launch of new doctor background check site on youtube.com
Re-Launch of MDCheck.com video
Looks like it is a comphrensive site that offers free and paid background searches on doctors. Probably a useful tool if you are try to investigate your doctor or search for a new doctor.
In Georgia, doctors must now publicly disclose whether or not they are not covered by medical-malpractice insurance. The legislation was signed in to law on Thursday 5/14/2011. It was sponsored by the only doctor in their General Assembly Ben Watson (R). Washington state has a similar bar requirement for lawyers to disclose whether they have malpractice insurance. Read the full article.
We are all taught to trust surgeons, general practitioners, and nurses at a very early age. They take an oath of conduct when they graduate from medical school saying that they are only out to help the patient and look out for their well-being. Everyone makes mistakes with their finances from time to time and doctors are no exception. There have been cases where a surgeon has operated on a patient for no other purpose than for financial gain. In recent article in the Wall Street Journal there is an allegations that a portland physician did just that. The patient did not need the surgery and did not benefit from it in any way. There are some steps that someone can take to make sure that they are not getting a surgery that they do not need.
It is not difficult to check a doctor’s background. You will want to check and see if the practitioner has had a bankruptcy, if their practice is in debt, or if the doctor has been recently divorced. There are a few different ways that someone can check doctor backgrounds. The simplest and easiest way is to search on the Internet. If the practitioner has had any financial difficulties something will more than likely pop up from just a search for their name. When someone decides to check doctor background they will want to make sure to check all variations of the name and any maiden names if the doctor is a female.
If the background check yielded any information pertaining to financial difficulty the patient should immediately go for a second opinion from another surgeon. If the new examiner concurs that an operation is needed the patient should then consider getting the operation. If the operation is deemed not to be needed the patient may want to consider getting a third opinion just to be safe. If the latter two opinions both state that the patient does not need the surgery then they should contact their local medical board and inform them that the doctor is advising patients to get unneeded surgeries. They will likely do an investigation and the practitioner will lose the ability to practice medicine because they are being unethical.
When patients are visiting their family physician in the clinic or being treated by them in the hospital, there is a trust there. The doctor has the clinical knowledge and the experience to make the important decisions about the patient’s care and the patient must put their confidence and their life in the hands of this trained professional health care authority. Who is there to investigate doctor health and be sure they are taking good care of themselves?
The one thing that most patients would certainly count on is that the doctor who is making these life and death decisions about their care is doing so with clear and unclouded judgment. The fact that physicians are human and are subject to the same weaknesses as the rest of the population means that there is a percentage of them who could be impaired by addictions.
There needs to be a way to investigate doctor sobriety and to keep tabs on them with some kind of regularity to be sure they are not making all their decisions with a mind that has been clouded by drugs or alcohol. Unlike most other professions, physicians are in close proximity to the very seriously controlled drugs in both hospital and clinic settings.
The way these drugs are dispensed is often very strictly monitored and there are safety checks in place to keep them well accounted for, but as with all systems in all areas of any business, there can be slips and areas that just do not get completely looked at. Ideally, there would be a way to investigate doctor interactions with patients and see if there are reasons to suspect the physician is impaired.
It is not only the prescription drugs that are a possible addiction for the medical professionals, the same street drugs and alcohol problems that affect the rest of the population are things to be aware of within the medical profession as well. A system of random testing would be something that would catch only a certain percentage of the addicted doctors. Toxin screens are only sensitive to the drugs they are specifically testing for. To fully investigate doctor chemical health, a more comprehensive sort of study would need to be done.
The relationship between patients and doctors is unique. While the medical profession is, in a very real sense, a service industry, the bond between doctor and patient is much more intimate than normally found in a service industry relationship. When someone is unhappy with a plumber, it is not really difficult to fire that plumber and hire another. However, when doctor misconduct requires a change in physicians, the demise of the relationship can be difficult to deal with.
Because of the very personal nature of the doctor/patient relationship, the need to find a new doctor can be traumatic. No one likes to visit a new doctor and revisit medical histories again. In addition, it may be difficult and time consuming to have records transferred from one doctor to another. Doctors hold a special position in the lives of most patients, and terminating that type of relationship may be quite stressful even if doctor misconduct is suspected.
For that reason, it is important to try to mend the existing relationship whenever possible. Discuss the issues with the physician to see if the problems can be remedied before actually terminating the relationship. What appears, on the surface, to be doctor misconduct may be something else entirely. Misunderstandings can occur, and if both parties truly want to get past that misunderstanding, it is best to try resolving issues before taking drastic steps.
However, there are times when the perceived doctor misconduct is egregious and must be dealt with. In cases where there are significant differences between a patient and his or her care provider, it may be necessary to fire a doctor. Differences may be as simple as a lack of beside manner that serves to make a patient feel uncomfortable. Other issues may be an abuse of the patient’s time by over scheduling and forcing the patient to wait for excessive periods of time. Lost records or unwillingness to return calls are other reasons for considering the firing of a doctor. In some cases, offenses can be severe enough to actually require the involvement of medical licensing personnel. When a patient can no longer comfortably visit a doctor, it is time to fire that doctor and find another one.
With the great number of doctors in the United States it is important that you don’t choose a doctor based on the yellow pages or an advertisement. You have every right to request a background check doctor report before you even consider making an appointment. There is no office that will freely offer any information about the doctor’s record for malpractice or admit if the doctor has ever been under any type of disciplinary action. You have to be able to trust a doctor with your health and many times in situations that can be life threatening. There is no need to take unnecessary risks.
According to a report by the US Census Bureau there were over 661,400 doctors and surgeons practicing medicine in 2008. Of that total 30.5% were female and 16.6% were listed as Asian. In 2003 the US Department of Labor broke down the categories to include 23,790 Anesthesiologists, 111,990 General Practitioners, 50,140 Internists, 19,180 OB/GYNs, 26,910 Pediatricians, 19530 Psychiatrists and 49,730 Surgeons. Those numbers alone should let you know that you have a wide array of choices when it comes to your health-care. Requesting a background check doctor report is a very responsible way of making your selection.
In looking at a background check doctor report and other sources you want to verify some of the most important credentials:
Limited information can be obtained from your local library, the Medical Board for your state, Internet searches and various organizations that make their databases publicly accessible. However, if you truly want every bit of information available you’ll need to order a background check doctor full disclosure report. Much of the information this report will list can only be obtained by licensed private investigators or agencies. They can uncover information very quickly that would take a private individual weeks or months to uncover if possible at all. You have the right to know your doctor’s credentials. Don’t risk the health or possibly life of yourself or one of your loved ones by failing to gain the proper information about your doctor.
Having doctor credentials is one of the most prestigious positions in the USA. Many people start dreaming of this goal when they are young children and spend their life working towards this goal. Those who begin early often are able to spend a lifetime helping people in various positions in hospitals and even go on to teach other student physicians. You must achieve several steps before you will reach your goal. Planning early is best, but at any stage of your life, you can begin to pursue this dream.
The first step involves early education. Your undergraduate degree should include something in the science areas such as anatomy or biology. Your GPA is extremely important in this stage because your entrance to a medical school is not guaranteed just because you have the desire. Typically, a student with less than a 3.5 GPA will have difficulty finding a place in a quality or prestigious medical school. Towards the end of your undergraduate program, you will need to take the MCAT test. This test focuses on the sciences. Assuming you have a great GPA and do very well on the MCAT, you will begin looking for a medical school to attend.
If your grades and test scores are stellar, you may be courted by several prestigious medical schools to help you obtain your Doctor Credentials. If you are not being pursued, but have great recommendations, you should still apply at several choice graduate schools. Once you are accepted, your education will begin to focus on very specific areas of science and medical technology. During this time, you will decide on the specific area of medicine you want to practice. This helps you focus your energies towards your specialty.
Once you are nearly complete with your graduate program, you will begin applying for a residency. This is where you put your doctor credentials to the test. In this part of the program, you will be a doctor under supervision. Everything you learned in medical school will be put to test here. As you get through your residency, you will begin to find that many hospitals, medical schools and other medical institutions will request your presence in their programs.
As your residency comes to a successful conclusion, you will have logged enough hours in practical application of your knowledge that you will be able to confidently perform the functions that your doctor credentials boast. Now, you will begin enjoying your life of prestige and teaching others who dream to be like you.
When you’ve received a serious medical diagnosis, or your doctor has recommended a surgical procedure, it’s a good idea to consider getting a second opinion. A second doctor may have completely different ideas on how your medical condition should be treated. Sometimes, the doctor you consult for a second opinion is just a better fit for you, or has more experience with the complexities of your case. Whatever the reason, getting a second opinion is a smart move, but it can be intimidating. There are some guidelines you can follow as you conduct a doctor search for your second opinion.
First, ask your doctor for a recommendation. Most doctors are comfortable with their patients getting another opinion, and he or she may have some good suggestions. Next, ask for a recommendation from someone you trust; perhaps a friend who has gone through the same medical problem can give you advice. Check to make sure your health insurance company will pay for the second opinion. Finally, after you have conducted a doctor search, make an appointment for the second opinion. Don’t rely on advice given to you over the phone or via email. Also ask your primary doctor to send records to the second doctor. Following these steps can help you stay informed on your health care options.
First, you should make sure you select the right doctor. This is a bit beyond to the scope of this article but there are three things to do to assure that you find the right doctor – research, interview and background screen. Research by asking friends and family for a referral, check your health insurance website, review other doctor rating websites and make a list of the top doctors you want to have treat you. Make a list of the top three to five. Then call the doctor’s office to determine if the doctor you want still has openings in their practice. If they have openings, then schedule an initial meeting with them. In other words, interview them, they are service provider and they should be open to an interview. Come to the interview with a detailed list of you medical history, you preferred style of interaction and basic requirements for your doctor – do you want them available 24 hours a day vs. only during scheduled office hours, can you get in to see them in less than week and do they have email and use it to communicate with their patients. Once you have selected the doctor you want to see then do a background check on the doctor. They are extremely inexpensive and easy to do so it is sort of a no brainer when you are considering putting your healthcare in the hands of someone.
Be prepared when you go to your doctor. Doctor’s appointments are almost always scheduled in advance. This gives you plenty of time to prepare for your visit. Use that time to think about your health during the time since you last saw your doctor and what your concerns about your health are. Write them down so you do not forget to ask. A doctor’s office or hospital can be an unnerving and uncomfortable place that leaves you somewhat confused no matter how many times you have visited in the past. The best way to remember what to ask is have it written down in advance. For those of you that go to doctors who have email, you may even want to send them your questions in advance of your appointment.
Do not be afraid to ask the doctor, the nurse or anyone at their office questions. Good health care practitioners want to help you and are motivated by helping people. It is often easier just to remember to ask at least some limited number of questions. You should ask questions of your doctor to get at the problem, solution, and outcome.
By problem, I mean what is the problem I have and what are the different names of the problem so you can research it later. Often there are several names for medical conditions and depending on the age of your physician and the location of their training they may refer to the same thing with different names. You should also ask about what causes the problem so you have a better understand of what you can do to fix the problem.
That leads to the next question which is what is the solution to problem. Depending on whether you value traditional medicine or alternative medicine, you should make sure you ask your doctor about what all the solutions for your problem are and what their thoughts on the solutions are. There may be no solutions and you should be prepared for that and ask your doctor about what research is being done on the problem and will it ever be treatable or what your should expect your outcome to be. Knowing what to expect as an outcome is extremely important. You need to know what should be occurring with the solution and if what is happening to you is different from the expected solution. If your expected solution is not being achieved, you should tell you doctor what is going on and ask more questions.
Recently I saw an article about a woman in Idaho was arrested for posing as a doctor and giving breast exams in a bar. I have been meaning to post about this since I saw the article since it reminded me of Leonardo Decaprio in the movie “Catch me if You can” with Tom Hanks where he played counterfeiter Frank William Abagnale, Jr. who posed as an airplane pilot, teacher and a lawyer during his crime spree. I wondered if would be that much harder to fake being a doctor. So I did some research, and it turns out in December of 2010, there was fake doctor and real airline pilot who was outed after years of claiming to be a cardiologist. William Hamman, a United Airlines captain and fake cardiologist, based in Michigan had an appointment at a University as doctor and was a frequent speaker at cardiology conferences. This is amazing to me as he did not just fool patient like the case of the breast exam bar bandit but he fooled other doctors. It is pretty funny and scary as he did not give courses on medicine technically but they were on team work. He was caught by a routine background check in connection with a federal grant review.
I believe I could be fooled by a fake doctor but probably not by some drunk offering breast exams in a bar. It is always a good idea to do a license check and background check on your doctors. It does not take a great of time and is pretty easy.