Personal Injury Law

San Diego Patients Should Know About Their Doctors

By Ross Jurewitz

Recently, it was discovered that six cases of Hepatitis C were caused by grossly negligent practices at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada. Among the cost and safety cutting procedures alleged were directions to staff to use syringes and vials of anesthesia more than once--despite the risk of spreading diseases.

Out of this scandal, Southern Nevadans have discovered a problem that should also concern patients in San Diego--how do patients find out about the doctors treating them?

In California, the state Medical Board does not provide any information about past or pending lawsuits for medical malpractice unless a judgment was entered or settlement reached in excess of $30,000. This makes is it difficult for patients to discovery evidence of poor, although perhaps not negligent, performance by their doctors. Due to the scarlet letter this hangs on the chest of a careless doctor, medical malpractice cases, no matter how legitimate or clear-cut, are litigated tooth and nail through trial.

This is a poor way of sharing information with patients about the doctors treating them. It is believed that 90% of all malpractice claims come from the conduct of 10% of doctors. While these may not be exact figures, they do seem logical. Persons who make mistakes or who cut corners tend to repeat these mistakes over and over. For example, in San Diego, a dentist has been successfully sued four times for substandard care.

Full post as published by San Diego Injury Lawyer Blog on March 09, 2008 (boomark / email).