Keeping state medical boards alive

The Times article "California disciplined fewer doctors in 2007" relies on data from the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. Each year, such groups issue reports ranking medical boards by the number of "serious" disciplinary actions they've taken in the preceding year (such as license revocations, surrenders, suspensions and probations). Their goal is to affect change by drawing public scrutiny to medical boards they believe are performing poorly. While well-meaning, like many independent ranking reports, the methodology used by these groups can be less than scientific and even misleading. By limiting their reports to "serious" actions, these ranking reports miss the much larger picture of how medical boards protect the public.

By James N. Thompson

April 28, 2008