Do you know what the worst nightmare of a doctor’s career is? You would think that the death of a patient would be their biggest nightmare but death is the reality of the medical field… as a doctor, you know your patients aren’t going to live forever. The number one fear of a doctor is losing their medical license… without a medical license, a doctor’s medical career is over.
Doctors work very hard to earn the title of doctor. They not only undergo several years of training in medical school but they also have to do residency programs and pass board exams in order to practice medicine. Once they pass all exams and become qualified to practice medicine, they are required professionally and ethically to follow the rules, regulations, and policies governing their profession.
If a doctor fails to abide by those rules and regulations in any way, their license can not only be suspended or revoked but it can also destroy their reputation as a doctor. The thing about these reasons why doctors lose their license is that they’re completely preventable. Morally and ethically, a doctor shouldn’t even put themselves in situations that could potentially put their license at risk but things happen and there are several factors to consider. Take a look at some of the most common reasons why physicians end up losing their licenses.
1. Sexual misconduct
In this area, statistically speaking, the majority of these cases are centered around male physicians who treat female patients alone. But sexual misconduct also comes in the form of unsolicited sexual advances to patients and members of staff. This is commonly seen with promises of advancements being dependent upon the sexual favors requested.
According to the American Medical Association, any romantic or sexual interactions between a physician and patient is deemed unethical. If the physician wants to have a romantic relationship with the patient, they must immediately terminate their physician-patient relationship. As a physician, you ideally just want to avoid the situation altogether and keep your physician-patient relationship strictly professional.
2. Fraud
Fraud covers a wide range of topics for physicians. A doctor can lose his/her license for fraud due to various reasons including, but not limited to:
- False billing
- Changing medical records
- Mischarging
- Overbilling
- Charging for services a patient never received
Those are all fraudulent activities that The Board frowns upon heavily and will proceed with investigations if insurance companies file complaints of suspected fraudulent activities. They look for consistent patterns with these types of activities and if a doctor is found guilty of such fraudulent activities, that doctor will not be able to practice medicine ever again, costing them their license. In these situations, a credible criminal lawyer will be able to provide you with the right expertise and knowledge that you need.
3. Criminal convictions
Just because a doctor has a criminal conviction, whether it’s a prior conviction or if the doctor is being prosecuted, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the doctor will automatically lose their license. The only way a doctor will lose their license is if their conviction is in violation of a physician licensing regulation. Things like drunk driving, drug possession, and failure to pay income taxes are all charges that can put your license at risk.
4. Addiction
Drug possession, alcoholism, and substance abuse are more common in physicians than you might think. Every day physicians undergo immense amounts of stress like continuous insurance updates, loss of patients, and just continuous changes in the medical field in general… because of the high levels of stress, doctors tend to turn to alcohol and other substances just to cope. Doctors have to be very careful because it’s very easy to spot an addicted colleague. Once your colleagues have figured out you’re dealing with addiction, they are ethically required to report you to The Board, which could cost you your license.
Talk with a medical license lawyer
These are just a few of the many reasons that a physician could lose their license. If you have been accused of any of these wrongdoings and feel that your license is at risk because of it, you need to get in contact with the Leichter Law Firm as soon as possible… they will fight for your professional reputation and future.
Remember, you’ve worked too hard and spent too many years to earn your credentials, so you can’t lose your license without putting up a good fight. That’s why you need to find the right team of advocates willing to go to battle on your behalf.
