The Importance of Researching Doctors
When you are looking to be seen by a medical professional, you naturally go online and do a bit of research. Whether you need a diagnosis, second opinion, treatment plan, medication management, therapy, yearly preventative care appointment, or a simple medical consultation, you want to find doctors and medical facilities that are known for professionalism and quality care. We go over how to find complaints against a doctor or hospital, so you can improve your search and avoid a potential medical malpractice case for yourself in the future.
Medical Boards and Healthcare Professional Databases
There are several types of medical boards and healthcare professional databases in place that anyone can access publicly. These allow people to see a medical worker’s professional history, reviews, and issues with care in the past.
The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
The big medical board you can look at is the Federation of State Medical Boards, which is also known as the FSMB. This is a database that holds all the disciplinary action taken against any physician across the entire United States. It will cost you about $10 to have full access to this information.
Pennsylvania State Medical Board
Wherever a medical professional wants to practice, they need a license from the specific state they want to practice medicine in. In turn, there are also state-level medical boards that handle disciplinary issues, physician suspension, or the permanent revoking of one’s license. In the state of Pennsylvania, these are recorded on the Pennsylvania State Medical Board, however each state will have their own unique database.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health
Each state also has a department of health that is required to make sure each licensed medical professional is practicing medicine properly and following the standard duty of care. If there were violations in Pennsylvania, these are permanently recorded at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. They also have a recording of any formal complaints of improper care, dirty conditions, etc.
Pennsylvania Court Records
If the doctor’s negligence landed them a lawsuit, you can even research court records. Some doctors only have formal complaint against them or safety violations. Some people may still consider a doctor under those conditions, but not if they have actually been sued. When people take the step to sue, it is usually for a much more serious reason and is a cause for concern. You can request any publicly allowed records from a court about a particular medical professional or institution.
Ratings and Physician Grading Websites
If you just want to take a quick look instead of diving deep into records, there are many helpful websites that allow patients to rate their doctor’s care under many different performance metrics. Websites like Healthgrades, WebMD, Zocdoc, or Psychology Today can help you see a doctor’s performance on metrics like office conditions, friendliness, professionalism, thoroughness, and more. If you want to go an even more simpler route, you can also look at a simple Google Business or Yelp review page to get some basic ideas of how that doctor may be according to previous or current patients. How thorough you want to get will depend on how serious the medical issues or injuries are and how important a quality doctor is to you under your circumstances.
Contact a Pittsburgh Medical Malpractice Attorney for a Consultation About Your Case in Pennsylvania
Were you or a loved one injured due to medical malpractice in Pennsylvania? Then you need to talk to an experienced medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible for guidance on how to proceed. The Pittsburgh medical malpractice attorneys at Goodrich & Geist, P.C. are prepared to assist you with your legal claim. We represent victims of negligent surgeons, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists in Pittsburgh and surrounding Westmoreland, PA Counties. Call us today at (412) 766-1455 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation. Our main office is located at 3634 California Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.