Doctors and Nurses
A large number of physicians who are disciplined by state medical boards are repeat offenders, indicating a possible need for greater monitoring tools or a different approach to the way physicians are disciplined, according to a study in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.
Researchers found wide variations among state medical boards in the severity of sanctions levied against physicians, even for similar violations. The authors recommend incentives to help determine proper sanctions, such as providing rehabilitative services to physicians whose conduct can be improved and revoking the licenses of physicians who continue to incur penalties.
The study concludes that negative sanctions also should be complemented with rewards for quality care, such as Medicare's pay-for-performance initiatives (Grant/Alfred, Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, October 2007).