Public Citizen Ranks State Medical Boards for Serious Disciplinary Actions

Even though the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) discourages people from using their Summary of Board Actions report to rank medical boards in different states, the Public Citizen has published a "Ranking of State Medical Boards’ Serious Disciplinary Actions: 2007-2009."

10 Lowest States (lowest three-year rate of serious disciplinary actions):

* Minnesota (1.07 actions per 1000 physicians)
* South Carolina (1.09)
* Wisconsin (1.59)
* New Hampshire (1.65)
* Connecticut (1.80)
* Massachusetts (1.93)
* Mississippi (2.17)
* Florida (2.25)
* Maryland (2.30)
* Vermont (2.34) 

10 Highest States (highest three-year rates of serious disciplinary actions)

* Alaska (7.89 serious actions per 1,000 physicians)
* North Dakota (6.01)
* Kentucky (5.67)
* Ohio (5.43)
* Arizona (5.20)
* Oklahoma (5.01)
* Colorado (4.99)
* Louisiana (4.76)
* New Mexico (4.13)
* Hawaii (4.03)

Here are my questions: Are high rates of serious disciplinary actions a good thing or a bad thing? Why are the rates so different? Is it because some state medical boards aren't doing an adequate job, or because there are fewer physicians requiring disciplinary actions in certain states? Do we assume that each state roughly has the same proportion of physicians who require disciplinary actions?  You can view the Public Citizen summary here.

Disciplinary Actions Against Physicians Up in 2008

Each year, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) publishes the Summary of Board Actions , which is a collection of disciplinary actions initiated by its 70 member medical boards. There are currently over 960,000 physicians in the United States. According to the summary report, in 2008, state medical boards took 5,379 actions against physicians, an increase of 60 actions over 2007.

The Public Citizen also produces a report and ranks different states:
Public Citizen’s Health Research Group Ranking of the Rate of State Medical Boards’ Serious Disciplinary Actions, 2006-2008 (HRG Publication #1868). A low ranking state identified by the Public Citizen often results in increased activity or funding for that state’s medical board.

Get ready for some acronyms now, because here are the professions regulated by a Board. I thought that you might find this interesting because you may not realize that all these healthcare professions are regulated by a Board.

AT-athletic trainer; ACU-acupuncturist; ANA-anesthetist assistant; AUD-audiologist;
BLD-biological lab director; CP-clinical perfusionist; CT-cosmetic therapist; CHI chiropractor;
CIS-cardiovascular invasive specialist; CPM-certified professional midwife;
CPP-clinical pharmacist practitioners; DO-osteopathic physician; DEH-dental hygienist;
DEI-dietician; ELE-electrologist; EMT-emergency medical technician; GC-Genetic
counselors; HAD-hearing aid dispenser; HYP-hypnotherapist; ICU-mobile intensive care
unit; LO-licensed orthotist; LP-licensed perfusionist; LPR-licensed prosthetist; LPED licensed
pedorthist; MA-medical assistant; MD-allopathic physician; MDX-MD X-ray
operator; MP-medical physicist; MR-medical resident; MT-massage therapist; MW midwife;
NA-nurse anesthetist; NAT-naturopath; ND-nutritionist; NM-nurse midwife;
NP-nurse practitioner; OT-occupational therapist; OP-optometrist; OTA-occupational
therapist assistant; ORT-orthotist; PA-physician assistant; PER-perfusionist; PT-physical
therapist; PTA-physical therapist assistant; POD-podiatrist; POL-polysomnograph
personnel; POM-Practitioner Oriental Medicine; PRO-prosthetist; RA-radiology
assistant; RE- registered electrologist; RN-registered nurse; RAT-radiological
technologist; RCP-respitory care practitioner; RET-respiratory therapist; RIT-resident in
training; RTL-radiological technologists limited; RPA-radiology practitioner assistant;
RRT-radiological technician; SA-surgical assistant; SL-speech language pathologist;
SLA-speech language pathologist assistant; SPA-Specialist Assistant