Some states take prevention tactic on doctor discipline

Disciplinary actions against doctors increased last year, but some medical boards are turning to education and practice guidelines to keep physicians out of trouble.

By Damon Adams, AMNews staff. May 7, 2001.

Before Maryland physicians renew their license for the first time, they must watch a video that outlines potential barriers to a healthy physician-patient relationship. By educating doctors now about pitfalls ranging from lying for patients to making sexual advances, the state hopes to keep them from getting into trouble later.

"Our board was concerned about the number of sex cases it was seeing. It decided it should do more than discipline in this area," said Margaret Anzalone, deputy director of the Maryland Board of Physician Quality Assurance.

More state medical boards are using educational programs and practice guidelines to limit physician misconduct and other problems, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards.

About 50 of the federation's 69 member boards have adopted pain management guidelines that include showing licensees how to document treatments with patients. The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners established a policy warning against improperly prescribing drugs.

"[State boards] are working harder today at educating their licensees how to stay out of trouble," said Dale Austin, the federation's interim chief executive officer.

Yet some doctors still cause problems.

Disciplinary actions against physicians rose slightly to 4,617 actions in 2000, up from 4,569 in 1999, according to the federation's annual summary of board actions, released in April. An increase in doctors -- about 34,000 more than 1999 -- may have contributed to the increase, officials said. [...]