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New York Enacts Internet-Based Physician Profiling

Wed, 01/10/2001 - 1:00am — Karen Stevenson
Description: 

New York Gov. George Pataki signed legislation that gives New Yorkers easier access to information about malpractice cases and disciplinary actions involving their physicians. The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) supports the right of consumers to access valid information on physicians in New York State, but expressed concern that malpractice actions have not demonstrated correlation to a physician's professional ability.

Under the provisions of the new law, patients will be able to use the Internet or a toll-free telephone line to review physician profiles that will include:

- Criminal convictions within the last 10 years;
- Office for Professional Misconduct (OPMC) final actions taken against licensee (currently available on the OPMC Web site);
- Current limitations of licensee to a specified area, type, scope or condition of practice;
- Any loss or involuntary restriction of hospital privileges within the last 10 years for reasons related to the quality of patient care delivered;
- All medical malpractice judgments made within the past 10 years; and
- All medical malpractice settlements if the physician has three or more within 10 years, or any individual settlement if the New York Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner deems disclosure is warranted.

Due to the complexity in coordinating all of the profiling information, New York DOH officials said the information will take some time before it is available for the public to access.

New York Gov. George Pataki signed legislation that gives New Yorkers easier access to information about malpractice cases and disciplinary actions involving their physicians. The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) supports the right of consumers to access valid information on physicians in New York State, but expressed concern that malpractice actions have not demonstrated correlation to a physician's professional ability.

Under the provisions of the new law, patients will be able to use the Internet or a toll-free telephone line to review physician profiles that will include:

- Criminal convictions within the last 10 years;
- Office for Professional Misconduct (OPMC) final actions taken against licensee (currently available on the OPMC Web site);
- Current limitations of licensee to a specified area, type, scope or condition of practice;
- Any loss or involuntary restriction of hospital privileges within the last 10 years for reasons related to the quality of patient care delivered;
- All medical malpractice judgments made within the past 10 years; and
- All medical malpractice settlements if the physician has three or more within 10 years, or any individual settlement if the New York Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner deems disclosure is warranted.

Due to the complexity in coordinating all of the profiling information, New York DOH officials said the information will take some time before it is available for the public to access.