IN THE NEWS: HELPING PHYSICIANS KEEP HELPING

Patients rely on their physicians to help them make life-saving decisions, but doctors may be in danger of losing the public’s trust, a Physician’s Weekly article lamented.  Several reasons are explored:

1. Doctors are now required to input many metrics into an EHR computer system and patients misinterpret the lack of eye-to-eye contact as lack of personal interest.
2. Reimbursements have been cut by health insurers, and doctors must see more patients in order to keep their practices afloat financially.
3. Media sources often portray doctors in a bad light.
4. Medical diseases are becoming more complex, and people are living longer.

Amidst all these obstacles, many physicians face disciplinary action before their state licensing boards, which not only disrupts their practice, but affects their:

• health care provider status
• staff privileges
• staff memberships
• status in other states

While disciplinary measures are designed to protect the public, the physicians themselves often need protection as well.  With the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana and the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency each prohibited from providing legal advice, physicians who feel their livelihoods are being threatened are turning to the legal profession for help and guidance.

Here at Ramey & Hailey Law, in fact, our attorneys are increasingly called upon to help besieged doctors deal with the emotional as well as financial damage they have suffered by having their licenses unfairly acted upon.

In what way could the discipline of a physician be proven to have been unfair? If…      

• the board did not follow proper due process in its proceedings
• the physician was not treated like others in a similar situation
• the physician is being punished twice for the same infraction
• the ruling board is not competent in that field of practice 

Because our Ramey & Hailey attorneys are experienced in dealing with board proceedings and not just malpractice litigation, we can work to protect both patients and the physicians upon whom those patients depend.