T.B'Ville, Bruins (11/22/2009 5:58:36 AM)

What? She is using her husbands death as an excuse to screw a bipolar patient! Geez.

gfy, Tulsa (11/22/2009 7:57:10 AM)

We need tort reform on medical malpractice cases so we don't put more stress on these poor doctors. Reform would also keep these doctors in state because as we all know they are leaving Oklahoma in droves. The trial lawyers are the real cause of these doctors stress, the pain they have to endure and putting these poor professionals in the poor house.

jubilo1, Hugo (11/22/2009 8:23:00 AM)

"Of those, nearly 190 are still active medical professionals whose disciplinary background remains largely hidden from patients who don't know how or where to look for the information."

Anyone notice the writer does NOT tell us how or where to look for the information so we can check out our own doctor. Why keep the secret Kim?

fld11, (11/22/2009 8:46:08 AM)

Most of these clowns prescribe only a very few medications. This is usually based on which drug reps give them the best "deals" and perks. It has nothing to do with the best medication for the illness. We all know that these guys make way too much money for the jobs they do. The way to drive down costs is to stay away from the doctor's office unless it's a life threatenting condition. Works in other countries just fine.

Loophole, (11/22/2009 8:58:09 AM)

gfy, your prescription needs a refill. . .

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/22/2009 9:27:26 AM)

And conservative are howling about the need for medical tort reform. Please give the average citizen a break.

gfy, Tulsa (11/22/2009 9:27:54 AM)

Loopy-You mean you don't agree with my assessment?

gfy, Tulsa (11/22/2009 9:30:19 AM)

Loopy-By the way, thanks, I'll call Dr. Beet's and get a refill.

Captain BlackBeaver, Bat-Poop Crazy Island (11/22/2009 10:16:46 AM)

Sometimes good people make poor decisions.

Jinxed, CA (11/22/2009 10:30:26 AM)

He prescribed eye drops and allergy medications, antifungals, antibiotics and asthma medication. He even proscribed Zofran — an anti-nausea drug that is typically "given to patients on chemotherapy and radiation, which should not be given to any child under the age of 4," according to documents obtained from the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision.

"I didn't know what I didn't know," Beets told the Tulsa World about the matter. "Looking back now, yes, I know better. But, then, I didn't have the training and knowledge base I needed to be a doctor."

Beets' disciplinary record is one of the longest in the board's database.

------------------------------

This paragraph is all you need to read in this article - I would prescribe "a grain of salt" if reading the rest of it. All I am hearing is excuses excuses excuses and far too lenient as to discipline.

Are you kidding me? His disciplinary record is the longest in Oklahoma? And still practicing? Well, not surprising I guess...

He says "I didn't know what I didn't know".... Well DUH???? Oh, now that's a GREAT excuse eh? Even after giving a tiny 2 month old baby harsh and unecessary medicine like Zofran reserved for CANCER patients?

Oh my god. Scary.

This article also doesn't address the doctors who say.....travel from Arizona to do business in OK because they were disciplined in AZ and escaped that med board. Remember the freak from out of State who was arrested for I think it was molesting his step daughter not too long ago? All kinds of discipline records and where did he end up? Oklahoma.

Doctors policing doctors? Yeah right. That works.

gfy, Tulsa (11/22/2009 10:43:40 AM)

So Cappin Beav, when a good doctor attaches a vein to an artery and the patient is paralyzed from the waste down, the patient should just tell himself "good people make poor decisions" and roll on his way. Forget about the hundreds of thousands of medical bills not mention the millions of dollars of medical bills he will incur over the rest of his life. Oh and mental pain and suffering, forget about it, after all the doctors are "good people". Yea, that works. Unless, of course, it is you or your child. Just ask our US Rep. Sullivan.

Captain BlackBeaver, Bat-Poop Crazy Island (11/22/2009 10:45:35 AM)

Like I said...sometimes good people make poor decisions!

confederateU, (11/22/2009 10:55:06 AM)

It appears judging by the tw records that the beets guy was disciplined for prescribing unecessary meds more than once - even as he was still on discipline from the other infractions? Sure doesn't give me a lot of faith in the medical review board decisions.

And about the shrink - her husband dies of cancer in 2008, and she's having an affair with a male patient in 2009. hmmmmmm...... and her license is only suspended for one month after breaking the ultimate ethical no no for pyschiatrists?

Peepleus, (11/22/2009 11:01:49 AM)

Thanks TW for the article. I've always contended that doctors are no better then mechanics, and shouldn't be revered. This article demonstrates such.

Stratolifter, (11/22/2009 11:02:59 AM)

Question: can a doctor prescribe anti depressants even though a patient has not been diagnosed as depressed by a psychologist?

Stratolifter, (11/22/2009 11:07:15 AM)

I think the article gives the impression that the medical review boards are doing a great job based on the high number of disciplines. Well, define discipline. The better question is: Is the discipline imposed sufficient to protect the general public from bad doctors?

Our personal experience with the medical board after filing our complaint was disbelief that a doctor could get away with what that doctor was getting away with.

Kim Archer, medical writer, (11/22/2009 11:15:29 AM)

Jubilo1, you will find a separate sidebar on how to search the state's database for information on your own doctor or prospective physician by clicking View All News.

DirtyWhiteHouse, (11/22/2009 11:28:32 AM)

captain blackbeaver: Sometimes good people make bad decisions that could kill in an instant. You only have one life; how many chances do you want to give someone who is in charge of it?

out of tulsa, (11/22/2009 12:17:31 PM)

Is it true that a doctor only needs one year of residency in Oklahoma before he can legally practice in this state? Are you kidding me? Is this standard in all 50 states? What you are saying is, a young man or woman who graduates from med school at the age of 26, can do a year of residency in any field - ie psychiatry - and, then practice as a doctor?????????? Truly - don't other states require more years of residency and preferably in their field of practice? Who ever is researching this story for the TW - can you let us know????

Jinxed, CA (11/22/2009 12:35:32 PM)

so, out of about 6000 complaints over the past 10 years, they have only had 45 revoked licenses. 17 licenses were reinstated so does that mean about 28 revoked for good in a 10 year period? That's all?

whitehawk, Tulsa (11/22/2009 1:14:49 PM)

Need to keep in mind that many of these guys and gals just move to other states and in many cases are welcome to start up again to do MAYBE the same.

DeltaDon, Geneva, Switz & Tulsa (11/22/2009 2:45:14 PM)

Hey Tulsa World, The "Search TW database for disciplined Docs" noted in this story, is only for MD's. How do we check up on DO"s?

Jinxed, CA (11/22/2009 3:00:58 PM)

lyle kelsey? what EVER!

Carl, Henryetta (11/22/2009 3:35:33 PM)

Allow me to make a few points from THIS side of the stethescope.

1. fld has no concept of reality in terms of doctors' prescribing habits. We do NOT prescribe whatever the rep presents. And we don't get "deals and perks" unless you're referring to a few crummy pens that skip the next day or some note pads. I was a drug rep for two years before med school - and it just doesn't happen anything like you imagine it does.

2. You can check us DOs out on the web, too. The TW is supposedly providing the links - since they make it impossible for us to post links. It's okay - anyone with a modicum of computer savvy can find it out - it's all public info. read especially the minutes of the Medical Boards meetings - it'll shed some light. Remember this please, though: DISCIPLINARY action and MALPRACTICE lawsuits are two ENTIRELY different things, although one may certainly influence the other.

3. Tort reform......are there bad doctors? You bet. Are there bad doctors that get sued and LOSe malpractice suits? You bet. Are there bad doctors that never get sued for whatever reason? Yup. Are there good doctors who make honest mistakes - or like me NO MISTAKES at all and get raked over the proverbial coals for a year or two of endless depositions, motions, countermotions, court appearances????? Yes, indeed. In this country, it is VERY easy to sue anyone for anything. If you find a greedy, unethical lawyer (real tough), you can sue a doctor if you don't like their attitude. Trust me, I'm a doctor and I've been there. Never a penny given on my behalf to anyone - ever - because I was proven to not have done the things they claimed. Yet every day - i and all of my colleagues across the country order test after test - to rule out the SLIGHTEST possibility that we might miss something. There simply HAS to be SOME degree of honest reform. The costs - notwithstanding whatever the lawyers' lobby might have you believe - are enormous.

4. Good - and bad - people make mistakes. Sometimes they're important - sometimes, most times - in fact - they're not. Many times malpractice suits are brought over BAD OUTCOMES. Bad outcomes can be totally unforseen or unpredictable. Most of the time - it doesn't matter to someone who been injured in some way - SOMEBODY has to pay. Who else but the doctor? ANd the hospital...and the nurse...and the parent company of the hospital...and the pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturer...and the housekeeper......and, of course, demanding at least ONE medical opinion before a suit can be filed....OH NO, that would "limit access" to the legal system.

5. Peepless - maybe so, maybe not so. Ever hear anyone scream "is there a mechanic in the house?"

6. Stratolifter - almost without exception any doctor can presribe ANY medicine. A good Family Practice or Internal Medicine specialist can prescribe antidepressants, antipsychotics, etc to the appropriate patient. It all depends on their relative degree of knowledge and personal comfort as to whether they prescribe drugs. it is largely a self-regulated area of medical practice. As an ER doc, for example, I would NEVER prescribe a chemotherapeutic med or hormones to an ER patient. An Internist - generally wouldn't be presribing a baby's antiobiotic, either - althoug he or she might prescribe the same medicine to an adult and so on. Also in terms of a complaint not being acted upon....well, I can't dispute that, but don't confine it to doctors. Try complaining about a lawyer and see how seriously you get taken by the Bar Association. Try complaining about a certain rogue OHP trooper to the OHP or the Governor and see what happens.

Carl, Henryetta (11/22/2009 3:35:48 PM)

7. out of tulsa - Yes, it's true. The last I checked - only NH and NC required at least TWO years of post-medical school (residency) training before "hanging a shingle". MOST modern doctors have completed a residency - usually minimum of three years after med school. After that, they can become Board Certified in their particular specialty. You can only claim to be a "cardiologist" for instance - if you have at least completed a residency or better become Baorded in that area.
Personally, I am or was Board Certified in the are of Family Medicine, BUT I have practiced as an Emergency Medicine specialist for most of my 22 years in practice - since there is a great deal of overlap between those two. Incidientaly, those two (FP and EM) are the NEWEST of the specialty Boards - as "boarding" in various specialties is a relatively NEW thing. Then there are the "grandfathers" who just happened to have been doing - for example - nephrology - for so long that they get to be boarded just because they struck out on that area of medicine before it became "official", etc - it's quite a complicated system really. It DOES allow, however, some bozo that just barely squeaked by to open up a practice with LITTLE actual "apprentice" training. The medical consumer should ALWAYS interview a prospective new doctor and don't be afraid to ASK QUESTIONS.
Remember - the rules that govern all this are official LAWS - if you disagree - contact your local State legislators.

8. It is NOT just as easy as moving. if the State Board of Medine or of Osteopathic Medicine is doing their jobs - they carefully research a doctor's past. All they would have to do is go to the State website to read all about Dr. Beets' past discipline record.