In 2014-15, there were 8,267 complaints made about physicians and surgeons in California, according to the Medical Board of California’s annual report. That number represented a slight dip from 2013-14, when there were 8,329 complaints.
The largest number of complaints were for gross negligence/incompetence, followed by complaints over unprofessional conduct, such as sexual misconduct with patients or discipline by another state. Other complaints fell into categories including fraud, health and safety, and personal conduct, such as conviction of a crime or doctors who abuse drugs or alcohol.
The Medical Board of California’s annual report details the type and source of these complaints, as well as the resulting enforcement actions and disciplinary outcomes.
A state Senate committee approved legislation on Monday that would require medical practitioners to inform their patients if they are on probation for serious offenses. Read our story “Is Your Doctor Hiding Something From You?” to learn more.
Interested in reading about what happens across the U.S. when doctors behave badly — and how you can figure out who those doctors are? Read Consumer Reports’ article What You Don’t Know About Your Doctor Could Hurt You.
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