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A.  Choosing a Doctor and Protecting Your Rights as a Patient

When choosing a doctor, it is best to find one who is board certified or board eligible. To become board certified, a doctor must complete three to seven years of full-time training (an accredited residency) in the specialty and pass an examination offered by that specialty board. Some boards also require that a doctor practice full-time in the specialty before the examination. To determine if your doctor is board certified, call your state department of licensing or the American Board of Specialties. You can also refer to the ABMS Compendium of Certified Medical Specialists, available at the library.

It is also a good idea to select a doctor who is affiliated with an academic medical center where doctors are trained. This affiliation usually means that the doctor has teaching responsibilities and keeps up-to-date on new developments in the field.

If you believe you have been victimized by an incompetent doctor or have complaints regarding professional misconduct (sexual abuse, gross incompetence, alcoholism), you can sue the physician for malpractice in a private lawsuit or file a written complaint with your state department of health, which typically maintains an office of professional medical conduct. If your complaint is viable, it will be investigated (the process may take months). An investigation committee will decide whether the case should be given a hearing or referred to the appropriate peer group or local medical society. After a thorough investigation, the board may make recommendations for disciplinary action, including a formal reprimand, suspension from practice, or revocation of the doctor's license (rare).