All of us, sooner or later, may have to decide on a doctor or doctors in a time of medical need. That choice may well dictate whether the care required is indeed rendered. While administrative agencies charged with overseeing the profession, such as the Board of Professional Medical Conduct, sometimes investigate and take disciplinary measures against physicians that may result in the suspension or termination of their licenses, such actions do not succeed in weeding out all incompetent practitioners. Most people rely upon recommendations from friends and relatives, referrals from other physicians or, in recent years, lists of participating physicians issued by health insurers or HMOs. However, there is relatively limited information that is readily available and accessible to the public with regard to physician competence.
Hospitals, on the other hand, have far greater ability to evaluate a physician’s competence. They are able to observe or hear about the quality of the treatment rendered by physicians who have privileges and render treatment at their facilities. Hospitals have access to databases regarding physicians that are not available to the general public. In addition, hospitals are in a unique position to obtain information relative to the physician’s competence via the process of granting and renewing privileges. Such information includes the status of the doctor’s privileges at other institutions, the number of claims of malpractice against the doctor and information concerning malpractice insurance coverage. In New York, hospitals are required by statute to investigate the competence of physicians before granting or renewing privileges.[1]�
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