Whether you’re looking for a doctor to perform a specific procedure, or if you’re just looking for a new primary physician, it’s important to check and see if that doctor has a medical malpractice record before you seek treatment from them. These records might not be readily available, which means you’ll have to do a little digging to find the information you need to know. Learn more about how to do this in this week’s blog.
How to Find a Doctor’s Medical Malpractice Record
Search the state’s medical licensing board.
All doctors need to be licensed through their state’s board of physicians. The Maryland Board of Physicians allows you to look up a license based on the practitioner’s last name or license number.
Here you’ll be able to see the following information as a relates to their medical malpractice record:
- Known disciplinary actions by any state medical board within the past 10 years.
- Maryland disciplinary actions.
- Pending charges
- Malpractice judgments and arbitration awards within the past 10 years.
- Malpractice settlements if there are 3 or more settlements of $150,000 or greater within the past 5 years.
- Convictions for any crime involving moral turpitude.
Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office
The Maryland Board of Physicians does not offer details about medical malpractice payments, and directs those who are interested to the Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office for answers to their questions.
Court Records
If you do find that medical malpractice action has been taken against a physician, you can search the records in the court where he or she was sued. Most court records can be found online, and if not online, at the courthouse. Remember that not all of these claims are necessarily legitimate, and those that are not legitimate may have been thrown out by the court. However, the records will still exist.
Internet Search
Plugging the doctor’s name into a search engine along with qualifiers like "medical malpractice" or "disciplinary action" may bring up insights into their medical malpractice record.