Editorial: Patients’ needs must come first

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003 | 9:50 a.m.

A recent audit of the state Board of Medical Examiners found that Nevada's hospitals aren't following through when it comes to reporting doctors who have been involved in malpractice cases. But Bill Welch, president of the Nevada Hospital Association, disputes the finding and says hospitals are disciplining doctors when appropriate and reporting incidents of malpractice. Nevertheless, Richard LeGarza, the state medical board's attorney, says the hospitals "over the years have not been good at reporting." LeGarza did add, however, that the reporting has improved since July, when a new law took effect that levies fines up to $10,000 against hospitals that fail to tell the state Board of Medical Examiners when one of their doctor's privileges are suspended or revoked.

While improvements in reporting are essential to improve patient care, even this reporting has its limits. As the Sun's Emily Richmond noted in a story Tuesday, federal confidentiality laws prohibit either a hospital or state government from disclosing publicly whether a physician has had his privileges revoked. That also means the public doesn't have a way of knowing just how many times a physician has had his privileges removed. Health care organizations, such as hospitals, managed care organizations and state medical licensing boards, can access a national registry -- the National Practitioner Data Bank -- to see what physicians are encountering problems. But there is no way for patients to have this vital information. That has to be changed.

The public already has the right to know if a physician has been disciplined or has had his license revoked by the state Board of Medical Examiners. Patients also should be able to find out if their physicians have had their privileges suspended or revoked by a hospital. Patients need more information about the competence of their doctors, not less. Congress should strengthen the reporting law so that the public can have access to the National Practitioner Data Bank.