California law focuses on doctors’ misconduct

California became the first American state last autumn to take patients’ rights against alleged physician wrongdoers to a higher level.

We spotlight in today’s blog post The Patient’s Right to Know Act of 2018. It greatly empowers California patients seeking information about confirmed misconduct committed by their doctors. Patients already had some power in that regard prior to the passage of what is also termed Senate Bill 1448. The Medical Board of California has for some time operated an online application that enables users to be notified of MD wrongdoing.

The new law is a difference maker, though. It requires no proactive action by a patient (downloading, registration and so forth) seeking relevant information. SB 1448 requires California doctors to directly inform all their patients when they are placed on probationary status for misconduct.

An affected MD must contact patients if he or she has had a license suspended or revoked or faces disciplinary action concerning any of the following offenses:

• Substance abuse that could have an adverse impact on patient care
• Criminal conviction linked with patient harm
• Inappropriate drug prescribing that reaches a select threshold
• Sexually inappropriate behavior with a patient

A recent online overview of the notification bill stresses that the legislation is the first in the country to demand physicians’ direct communications to patients when their misconduct brings probation.

Medical professionals having questions or concerns regarding SB 1448 can turn for answers and strong legal advocacy to a proven California license-defense law firm.