Article Sections

Introduction

Physician misconduct is any behavior that violates professional, ethical, or legal standards and can result in disciplinary action from a state medical board, civil charges, and, potentially, criminal charges.  Reporting physician misconduct is essential for protecting patient safety and maintaining public trust.

Types of physician misconduct

Each state has a set of statutes known as the Medical Practice Act, which delineates rules and regulations for the practice of medicine, including what constitutes physician misconduct:

  • Medical negligence & substandard care.
    • Repeated medical errors leading to patient harm.
    • Patient abandonment (ie, terminating care for a patient without providing adequate notice).
    • Prescription of pain medication in excess or without legitimate reason.
  • Sexual misconduct and boundary violations.
    • Sexual assault or harassment of a patient, colleague, or health care team member.

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