A TROUBLED BOARD

The Atlanta Journal-constitution has closely covered the state medical licensing board for years, finding that too often its lax oversight of dangerous physicians and its penchant for secrecy have left the public at risk.

In March, a report by the consumer organization Public Citizen found that Georgia ranks near the bottom of states nationally for imposing serious disciplinary actions on its licensed physicians, leaving patients vulnerable to incompetent, impaired or abusive doctors. That report reinforced findings of a blistering state audit in 2020 that found less than 2% of cases opened against physicians in the previous fiscal year resulted in any public disciplinary actions.

Investigations by the AJC in 2016, 2017 and 2018 revealed that the board rarely imposed serious consequences against doctors found to have provided substandard care, sexually abused patients or improperly prescribed opioids or other addictive medications. And the board has resisted pressure to improve key patient protections.

The board also has thwarted legislators’ moves to improve transparency.

Back in 2001, the Georgia Patient Right to Know Act required the board to create and maintain a profile on each licensed physician, with such information as a doctor’s education, experience, disciplinary actions, malpractice judgment and felony convictions. But the medical board doesn’t try to verify information physicians provide, relying instead on an honor system. The result, the AJC found, has been incomplete or even false information on some physicians.

Whether the board lacks the will or the resources, it has not carried out its prime mission, protecting patients.