States' medical boards increased disciplinary actions in 2009
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The Federation of State Medical Boards reported a 6% increase in disciplinary actions in 2009 overall among state medical boards. The annual report summarizing disciplinary actions against physicians by 70 medical and osteopathic boards in U.S. states and territories recorded 5,721 actions taken against doctors in 2009, an increase of 342 from 2008. The year 2008 saw an increase of 60 over 2007.
Because of the wide variations between state medical boards in terms of composition, funding, size and levels of proof required, the report is most useful in comparing variations within each state over time, instead of comparisons among the states.
However, each year the federation issues a Composite Action Index, an average of disciplinary actions that weights the severity of actions taken, such as license revocations and suspensions.
While most states were fairly consistent, some states saw wider variations in the numbers of disciplinary actions taken between 2009 and 2008. New Hampshire's actions more than doubled from 7 (against 7 doctors) to 16 (against 16 doctors). South Dakota's also rose from 7 (against 7 doctors) to 16 (against 15 doctors). Nebraska increased to 69 (against 65 doctors) from 32 (against 29 doctors). Florida's Board of Osteopathic Medicine handed out 16 actions (against 16 doctors) in 2009, compared to 54 (against 46 doctors) in 2008.
Other states' boards issues fewer actions. Idaho handed out 19 actions (against 16 doctors) in 2009, compared to 29 actions (against 28 doctors) in 2008. South Carolina handed out 20 actions (against 20 doctors) in 2009, compared to 56 actions (against 54 doctors) in 2008.