Are Physicians Sometimes Rotten Apples?

This is an unusual blog post for Trisha Torrey, but I agree with her on this one. We do have to many doctors that are bad apples and they are spoiling the basket for the rest. The state boards that constantly refuse to oust them and take away their licenses also need review, but Trisha does not cover this.

I had thought to pass on this until an article from Medscape made the scene on January 28, 2011. This article is from an investigation in Philadelphia, PA in which a Pennsylvania grand jury returned an a verdict that is bound to have the medical community shaking in their boots. Talk about a rotten apple doctor, to say nothing about the state offices and city offices that let this continue because of their inaction. This is officialdom at its worst and hopefully people will be dismissed for their lack of action.

Sad to say, this is probably just the tip of the iceberg and there are many other doctors that should have had their licenses revoked or suspended for investigation across the US. So while Trisha's blog was timely, it is articles like Medscape's that may get some federal and state agencies off their backsides and into action.

This is another reason for patient empowerment and better whistle blower laws to have people ready to report more of this without fear of losing their jobs. This also points out another case on Texas where two nurses are finally having their day for whistle blowing and county officials having to pay for protecting a doctor. And this time it is the doctor who is also in trouble.

This is one time Trisha has my full support in her call to weed out the doctors that are creating a bad name for their profession. Even the good and caring doctors should be behind this and want them out of practice. We have too many good doctors that are being tainted by the news of these horrifically bad physicians.

Please carefully read Trisha's blog here. She makes some astute observations about the catch-22 situation and how to work out of it with dignity. My take is even though she is talking to the doctors, some of this can apply to the patients in realizing how they come across when they have had bad experiences with one doctor and are very reserved of the doctor they are now seeing.

Read about the Pennsylvania doctor here and the Texas case here. Like I said earlier, I believe this is just the tip of a much larger problem within the medical profession.

And Trisha is not finished – on February 1, 2011, she has more information about the doctors of questionable character. So enjoy reading and this is educational and if doctors and state boards and others do not act, then it is time for us to speak with our checkbooks.