Personal Injury Law

State Legislation Seeks to Improve Safety of Illinois Medical Patients

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

Medical regulators across the state have received much criticism recently after it was uncovered that many Illinois medical providers may pose unique risk to their patients. Specifically, many doctors who have been convicted of sex crimes are able to keep their medical license and treat unsuspecting patients. However, as the Chicago Tribune recently explained, legislation is advancing which would prevent some of those dangerous Illinois doctors from treating patients.

The main arm of the doctors? lobby in Springfield, the Illinois State Medical Society, recently announced its support for the legislation that would permanently revoke the license of health care workers convicted of sex crimes and forcible felonies. The legislation would also demand criminal background checks on all doctors and an increase in the number of medical investigations.

A different piece of legislation would take the action a step further by invoking an immediate 45 day suspension for any doctor charged with a crime of this sort. A hearing would then follow the mandatory sentence so that regulators could make a specific determination of how to proceed.

Other legislation affecting Illinois medical malpractice issues has also been introduced in the General Assembly. Some legislators are calling for the resurrection of online doctor profiles that allow patients to learn if their doctor has been charged of any crimes or has made any medical malpractice payments in the past five years.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on March 04, 2011 (boomark / email).