Why is there no Better Business Bureau for Physicians?

[bleedingheart]

I hate to say this but in my lifetime I have been treated by some really incompetent boobs. I have also have had really great/good physicians treat me and my children.

So the question is? Why is there no authority which allows patients to rate their experiences with physicians so that other people can know who is good and who is not fit to tie shoes?

You can find out information about the contractor that puts up your home to protect you and your loved ones but there isn't any way to find out if the doctor you are thinking about is very competent.

I went to a OB/GYN practice for my first child and their group missed signs that I had toxemia. Four days post partum I nearly died because they ignored the blood pressure readings and the horrifying headache I had after delivery...I ended up back in the ER with congestive heart failure brought on my untreated toxemia. In fact the one doctor, when I asked why my feet were so swollen after delivery, told me that "you're not going to get a barbie figure back right after delivery"...I guess she could recognize severe edema.

Now I am here to tell you that I felt they had mismanaged my case and I was lucky to fully recover after being in the ICU for a while BUT...contrary to right wing fluff...you can't sue someone because they nearly killed you...only if I had died or suffered severe permanent damage could I actually do something...and to be honest all I ever wanted was to report their incompetence to save other women from having their care mismanaged....there is a system but it is very complicated and it has to be overseen by the AMA...so it is basically a joke.

On the other hand my kid's have a great pediatrician who has opened the office for me on weekends to treat their asthma and to check their ears...even going so far as to call me in the evenings to give me report information. The same is true for my current GP...I would love to give them a good rating...

[Kanary]

1. You've hit on a big reason for lawsuits.

It's the only way the AMA system allows for the kind of rating you're talking about. They protect each other, no matter how much in the wrong.

Many times, a nurse will blow the whistle on a dr, but the nurse is gambling their very career on doing so.

I'd be really curious to know, in other countries that have a good Universal health care system, how they handle this aspect.

Very good question..... deserving of some in-depth reporting!

Kanary

[shraby]

2. In the first place no profession

should be in charge of investigating itself.

[Kanary]

5. Exactly. But they shouldn't be in the business of protecting each other,

either!

[BiggJawn]

3. Doctors cover for each other.

I spent a bit of money on those web "services" that will give you a doctor's history, including sanctions.

What I figured out was that if a doctor was bad enough to acually garner a sanction from his/her/its state licensing board, they probably had a crimminal record for Manslaughter, too, and that's free to find out about...

Chefs cover their mistakes with sauce, doctors bury theirs, and the quacks cover each other's asses.

[AmyDeLune]

4. I Googled...

I recall a few years ago reading about people getting together on the internet to post just what you were talking about-- sort of a physician's report card...

http://www.ratemds.com/index.jsp This one appears to be free.

http://www.choicetrust.com/servlet/com.kx.cs.servlets.CsServlet?channel=health&product=doctor&subproduct=search&anchor=#
This one'll charge ya.

http://www.healthgrades.com/consumer/index.cfm?fuseaction=homepage&tv_eng=Google&tv_kw=C1AG7
...and so will this one.

...but at least they're out there.

[sandnsea]

6. Start a web site

Make a database and let's start outing these quacks. Florence Oregon, DO NOT get sick here!!