Hospital Actions
An action taken against a physician by a hospital can negatively impact the physician. Hospital action against a doctor can result in termination of employment or loss or restriction of privileges. In many cases, hospitals are required to report such negative action to the National Practitioner Data Bank and to the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure or the State Medical Board of Ohio.
A physician who has been subject to probation, termination or restriction of hospital privileges generally must disclose it on his or her medical board license renewal application. Regardless of whether an adverse hospital action is reported to the Kentucky or Ohio Medical Board by the hospital or self-reported on a medical board license renewal application by a physician, the medical board will commence its own investigation. Upon the conclusion of its investigation, the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure or the State Medical Board of Ohio can take action against a physician medical license.
It is important for a physician to retain an effective medical license defense attorney immediately upon learning a hospital has launched an investigation. First, any statement made by a physician under investigation, whether orally or in writing, can later be used as evidence by the Kentucky or Ohio Medical Board in a board action against the physician’s medical license. Second, a physician who is the subject of a hospital action often has formal due process rights that the hospital is required to follow before imposing discipline or sanctions, including the right to a hearing if the physician disagrees with the hospital’s decision to impose sanctions. Third, a hospital action and its resolution can have far reaching consequences for your medical license. Accordingly, it is important for the physician to understand all options and potential consequences of choosing a particular path relating to a hospital action.
It is also important to stress that retaining an experienced medical license defense attorney at the start of a hospital action in Kentucky or Ohio can help to defend a medical license in a future medical board investigation. Retaining strong, experienced and effective attorneys to defend a medical license on the front end of any medical board or hospital issue in Kentucky or Ohio can dramatically increase a physician’s chances of avoiding unexpected and undesirable results on the back end.
If you are a physician facing discipline by a hospital in Kentucky or Ohio, our attorneys have the skill and experience to defend you and your medical license.