Doctors have a great deal of responsibility to protect their patients’ health. For many, a single mistake could put their ability to practice medicine in jeopardy. Why might a physician lose their medical license?
1. Sexual misconduct
Sexual harassment of patients or other staff members and other misconduct can have a serious impact on physicians’ licensure. Even going on a date with a patient could put licensure at risk; the American Medical Association makes it clear that physicians cannot ethically have a romantic relationship with someone while they act as their doctor.
2. Discrimination
Unconscious biases can put many doctors’ licenses at risk. Discrimination of patients based on their race, religion, sex or nationality can significantly impact their quality of care, and Alaska law classifies this discrimination as a breach of professional conduct.
3. Fraud
Accusations of fraud in the healthcare industry can cover a wide variety of different issues, including:
- Altering medical records
- Overcharging for medical services or charging for treatments that the patient did not receive
- Charging uninsured patients at different rates than insured patients
Even unintentional billing errors could put healthcare professionals at risk.
4. Prescribing unneeded medication
While medicine can be one of the greatest ways for patients to maintain their health, prescribing unneeded medication, overprescribing and other prescription drug violations can often lead to the loss of a medical license.
5. Criminal convictions
While a criminal conviction does not necessarily mean that a doctor will lose their license, certain crimes including drunk driving can still put medical licenses at risk.
6. Addiction to drugs or alcohol
While addiction itself may not be enough for a physician to lose their license, it may have a significant impact on their career if their struggle with addiction leads to driving under the influence or working while impaired.
If you face these or other accusations, your license and your livelihood could be at risk. Consider speaking to an experienced attorney to begin building a defense for your medical license and protecting your career.