Physicians Must Soon Post Medical Licenses
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will soon require physicians to post their medical licenses and certificates in a prominent place in their offices and clinics.
The board instructed the Department of Health Services to distribute fliers to libraries, medical offices, clinics and other public areas urging people to ask a physician about their certification before receiving treatment, said Cam Currier, spokesman for Supervisor Mike Antonovich.
The ordinance comes in response to two incidents of physicians operating without a medical license. One involved an obstetrician, the other involved unlicensed alcohol rehabilitation clinics, Currier said.
“We live in a city where barbers are required to show their licenses but doctors aren’t,” he said. “This should help the public feel more comfortable.”
The action will also make the Medical Board of California’s Web site accessible from the county’s Web page.
The medical board’s site can be used to verify the status of a physician’s license. To verify a medical license, call the board at (916) 263-2635. To make a complaint about a physician call (800) 633-2322.
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