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What You Should Know About the Physician Disciplinary Process in Florida
As is the case in every other state, doctors practicing in Florida need to be licensed by the state and are subject to discipline for certain prohibited acts or omissions. Many of the things that can get a physician in trouble with the state licensing board can also be the basis of a medical malpractice claim if it involves deviations from the appropriate standard of care. Other times, doctors can engage in financial or insurance fraud, misuse of prescriptions, or other activities which are not directly related to the quality of care they provide their patients.
The Florida Board of Medicine, part of the Florida Department of Health, is the body that grants physician licenses and has the power to suspend or revoke a doctor’s license to practice medicine, among other disciplinary actions. Sometimes, the Board will conduct investigations or discover misconduct on their own. More often, however, a doctor may come under scrutiny because of a complaint filed by a patient or other physicians.
Filing a Complaint
The Florida Health Care Complaint Portal allows consumers to file a complaint online against an individual physician, hospital, medical office, or other health care practitioners. On the portal, you will be asked a series of questions that will help to identify the nature of your complaint. A complaint may involve any of the following:
- Quality of care
- Misdiagnosis
- Substance abuse
- False or deceptive advertising
- Practicing without a license
- Abuse
- Sexual contact
- Insurance fraud
- Mis-filled prescription
- Impaired provider
- Inappropriate prescribing
- Excessive test/treatment
- Patient abandonment/neglect
- Failure to release patient records
It is important to note that the department will not investigate certain kinds of complaints, including those involving:
- The amount charged for a procedure
- Broken or missed appointments
- Customer service
- Bedside manner
- Rudeness
- Professionalism
- Personality conflicts
Researching Medical Providers
When physicians or other health care providers are disciplined for misconduct or are the subject of malpractice claims, the state of Florida makes such information available to the public. This allows patients to research a doctor’s history when searching for medical care.
- Click here to search by name Florida Malpractice Insurance Claims from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
- Click here to name search Florida physician license information from the Florida Department of Health
- Click here to research the quality and star rating of local hospitals
Contact a Tampa Malpractice Attorney Today
Of course, if you believe that you or someone you love has been a victim of medical malpractice in Tampa, filing a disciplinary complaint with the state is only one step. You may also be entitled to compensation for your losses, but recovering such compensation requires the filing of a medical malpractice lawsuit. Such suits are extremely complicated, and many investigatory steps need to be taken before a claim for compensation can be filed. Please contact an attorney online to arrange for a free case evaluation.
