News Release — October 20, 2006

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October 20, 2006

Medical Board of California Ranks at Top
of US Medical Board Web Sites
California earns "top 10" spot in
public protection research group picks

SACRAMENTO—In a newly released report, the physician profiles on the Medical Board of California's Web site ranked seventh out of 65 state medical boards' sites rated by Public Citizen's Health Research Group. Public Citizen is a national, non-profit, consumer advocacy organization. Its Health Research Group promotes safer drugs and public health issues.

"The mission of the Medical Board of California is consumer protection. We are proud to be rated among the top 10 medical board sites in the nation," said Steve Alexander, president of the Medical Board of California. "The information provided by our board on our Web site's profiles has continued to grow over the last 10 years. California licenses over 122,000 physicians and has helped lead the way in providing accurate, timely and useful information disclosure by medical boards to the state's healthcare consumers."

Sites were ranked for content and usability, taking into account eight categories: types of physician-identifying information, board disciplinary action information, disciplinary actions taken by hospitals, disciplinary actions taken by the federal government (Medicare, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Food and Drug Administration), malpractice information, criminal conviction information, Web Site search capabilities and other information.

The following is public record about physicians and is posted on their individual profiles on the Medical Board of California's Web site at www.medbd.ca.gov:

• If a physician has been disciplined or formally accused of wrongdoing by the board.
• If a physician has been disciplined by a medical board of another state or federal government agency.
• If a physician has been convicted of a felony reported to the board after January 3, 1991.
• If a physician has been issued a citation for a minor violation of the law by the board within the last five years.
• Any hospital disciplinary actions that resulted in the termination or revocation of the physician's privileges to provide healthcare services at a healthcare facility for a medical disciplinary cause or reason reported to the board after January 1, 1995.
• After January 1, 1998, all malpractice judgments and arbitration awards (between January 1, 1993 and January 1, 1998, only those malpractice judgments and arbitration awards more than $30,000 were required to be reported to the board).
• After January 1, 2003, malpractice settlements that meet the following criteria:
• Four or more in a 10-year period (beginning 1/1/03) if the physician practices in a high-risk specialty (obstetrics, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, and neurological surgery)
• Three or more in a 10-year period (beginning 1/1/03) if the physician practices in a low-risk specialty (all other specialties)

Effective January 1, 2007, misdemeanor convictions that result in discipline by the board also will be disclosed on the board's profiles, further reflecting the trend by the board to increase the amount of information provided about California's physicians.

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The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers through the proper licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions and through the vigorous, objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act.

If you have a question or complaint about the healthcare you are receiving, the board encourages you to visit its Web site at www.caldocinfo.ca.gov or for questions call the Consumer Information Line at (916) 263-2382, or with complaints call (800) 633-2322.

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