The Florida Department of Health has released some sobering statistics concerning health care providers in Florida which give us some indication that the Board of Medicine and Board of Nursing complaint review procedures are inadequate to protect Florida’s residents from medical harm.
For example, of 2,774 LEGALLY SUFFICIENT complaints against physicians, the Board of Medicine saw fit to issue final orders of suspension, probation, limitation or fine in less than 14% of those cases. This procedure resulted in only 23 doctors having their licenses to practice medicine revoked.
Of 2,807 LEGALLY SUFFICIENT complaints against nurses and CNA’s, the Board only issued disciplinary orders one-third of the time.
Medical malpractice lawsuits remain the most effective way to protect Floridians from bad medicine. A money award can’t ever make up for injury or death, but, as many clients have told me, “I just want to get the doctor’s [or hospital’s] attention so they don’t do this to anyone else’s loved one.”
In response to those who say that medical malpractice lawsuits are driving doctors out of Florida, there are two valid responses:
1. It’s only driving out the BAD doctors, the ones we don’t want practicing their bad medicine on us.
2. According to the Florida Board of Medicine, it licensed more than 50,000 more doctors than the year before.
