California Amongst The Lowest States In Disciplining Doctors Who Commit Medical Errors
A new medical error report from Public Citizen reveals that California’s medical board is not disciplining doctors found guilty of wrongdoing, including committing medical malpractice. Many times, this medical malpractice leads to catastrophic injuries, including birth injuries, and wrongful death.
According to the report, the medical board failed to take action against more than 700 health care providers who were disciplined for wrongdoing between 1990 and 2009. Medical errors included the failure to diagnose – or wrongly diagnose – patients, delivering medical care that did not meet the requisite standard of care, leaving surgical equipment inside a patient and substance abuse. In some instances, their peers designated the doctors as “an immediate threat to health and safety of patients.”
In past years, California has ranked in the top half of states when it comes to discipline, but has consistently dropped in rank. As of 2010, California ranked 41st with nearly half of the nation’s 220 most dangerous doctors – those who present an “immediate threat” coming from California.
If you believe you or a loved one has suffered harm due to care you’ve received from a doctor, you may have a claim for medical negligence. It is important to speak with a dedicated San Francisco medical malpractice lawyer right away to evaluate your claims and determine your next steps. For more information, please contact the experienced California birth injury attorneys at Bostwick & Peterson, LLp for professional and compassionate legal representation.
