On Doctor Background Checks

How well do you know your doctors? Do you know, for example, which procedures they have (or haven't) been trained in, and to what degree? Do you know how many disciplinary actions have been taken against them? Do you know how many malpractice judgments have been issued against them?

These are important, in many instances critical, facts to know about the individuals to whom you entrust your physical care. That's why a doctor background check on any doctor you currently see, or any you consider seeing, is an excellent idea. And thanks to the internet, anyone - even you - can run a physician background check with the click of a button.

Now granted, though plenty of services exist online for helping you with all the doctor background checks you need, you can run a cursory medical background check of sorts for free. Simply contact your state medical board. Of course, the depth of information you can access this way is limited, and in many ways, insufficient, and should not be considered a replacement for a more thorough doctor background check.

In order to rely solely on the free information accessed from your state medical board, you have to research the medical board itself (perform a company background check, if you will - see our accompanying article on that subject). Every state's board collects and provides different information, and very few of them go into a doctor's credentials. And viewing a doctor's valid and current license number alone does not a doctor background check make.

Once you find an online doctor background check company you feel you can trust and afford, you'll need to know what to look for when reviewing the report. Some items to consider when reviewing any physician background check you order:

• be certain any specialists are board certified in their stated specialty

• past and pending state and federal disciplinary actions (and whether they received any sanctions or board suspensions as a result)

• number of malpractice judgments against them (1 or 2 in a lengthy career is usually nothing to worry about, but 3 or more is no good)

• count hospital affiliations and medical affiliations - more is better

• do they also teach at any hospitals or schools

• how many years have they practiced medicine (5 years or more is best)

• how much of a doctor's practice is related to the medical situation you're dealing with

• does the doctor have any awards

• are they involved in any way with the community

Doctor background checks can also tell you what schools and hospitals the doctor studied and interned at, as well as any residency or fellowship training (fellowship training, incidentally, is not a requirement - just a bonus).

With all of that in mind, we come to a crucial caveat - as always whenever conducting a medical background check, consider the source. How do they compile their doctor background checks? From what sources do they draw? Do they verify/confirm the information they obtain?

Don't take any information you view in a doctor background check at face value. There is always the possibility that information is inaccurate, outdated, or missing. Confirm anything you find in a doctor background check that makes you reconsider whether or not see that doctor, before you make any hasty decisions.

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