Tulsa World: Medical board ranks among nation's best

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 | WIRELESS

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Medical board ranks among nation's best

By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer
Published: 11/22/2009 2:19 AM
Last Modified: 11/23/2009 1:02 PM

Search a Tulsa World database of disciplined doctors from 2000 through 2009.

Oklahoma's medical board ranks among the top 10 in the country for its effectiveness in disciplining doctors, according to an annual report published by Public Citizen, a national nonprofit consumer advocacy group.

It has done so for at least 12 years, said Lyle Kelsey, executive director of the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision.

The rankings are based on data from the Federation of State Medical Boards on the number of serious disciplinary actions taken per 1,000 doctors.

"A lot of people think that means we have more bad doctors," Kelsey said. "I think it means we take care to get something done."

The board oversees the practice of medical doctors in the state. It is made up of seven medical doctors and two lay members. A separate board governs the practice of osteopathic doctors.

Kelsey said the board's system is "complaint driven." An investigation is initiated by a complaint filed by a patient, family member, a nurse or another doctor. Every complaint is investigated, he said.

The board has four investigators, two who are nurses and two who are law enforcement officers. They look into all 600 complaints filed each year, Kelsey said.

Investigators interview the complainant, patients, pharmacists, co-workers and the defendant to accumulate enough information to determine whether the complaint is substantive, he said. To bring a physician before a formal hearing, information must show "clear and convincing evidence" that a practitioner has violated rules or guidelines, Kelsey said.

If there isn't enough information to prosecute but there is still a concern, the board may offer a letter of concern and bring the practitioner in to talk face to face, he said.

Many times, the board looks to find out if there is an illness or other kind of impairment that may be at the root of the problem.

"Investigators may close the case from the standpoint that there is not enough there," Kelsey said.

When physicians are brought before the board, they must answer questions about their conduct, he said.

Once a doctor's license is suspended and probation is applied, compliance officers repeatedly check in with the physician to see if he or she is abiding by the rules set forth in probation. If the problem is alcohol or substance abuse, officers conduct frequent random drug screenings.

Any disciplinary action is made public on the board's Web site.

"This is a tag or black mark for life. Some physicians who have been disciplined 10 years ago may think that's unfair," Kelsey said. "But that may be part of the incentive for a physician not to mess up."

The standard of ethics is higher for a medical doctor, as it should be, he said.

"It is a privilege to practice medicine, not a guarantee," Kelsey said.

How to file a complaint about a doctor:

For a medical doctor or M.D., go to tulsaworld.com/okmedicalboard. Print off a complaint form, fill it out and send it to the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, Investigations Department, P.O. Box 18256, Oklahoma City, OK 73154. For more information, call (405) 848-6841, ext. 134 or 120.

For an osteopathic doctor or D.O., go to tulsaworld.com/docomplaint. Print off a report form, fill it out and send it to the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners, 4848 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 100, Oklahoma City, OK 73105. For more information, call (405) 528-8625.

Kim Archer 581-8315
kim.archer@tulsaworld.com By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

2 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Report Comment

whitehawk, Tulsa (11/22/2009 5:08:02 PM)

Buying into has been very hard to do for many years

Report Comment

confederateU, (11/23/2009 8:24:05 PM)

Nation's best? Really? hard to believe. I guess that depends upon whether the decisions are appropriate or not.

If a slap on the hand is considered in the decision making process, when in reality the license should be revoked, then I would venture to guess that the rankings could be easily skewed to be viewed as effective or efficient when in reality, it's anything but.

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.