New Yorkers Have A Right To Know About Bad Doctors
A recent New York Daily News editorial argues that New Yorkers have a right to know about bad doctors practicing in our city.
The Health Department’s NYDoctorProfile provides information about physicians’ training, certification, penalties for medical misconduct, and a record of their malpractice lawsuits and settlements. Prior to the introduction of the site, such information was often not available to the general public. Recently, Governor Cuomo introduced a budget proposal item that would dispense this invaluable system for disseminating information about doctors who have a problematic history. Although the governor has said he would support leaving aspects of this system in place after strong protest, the editorial argues that the site should be left as is.
At The Sanders Firm, we strongly agree with the thesis of the editorial. Although, as the editorial notes, many doctors are competent professionals with a strong history of providing care for their patients, a few “bad eggs” can do a lot of damage. One example was an orthopedic surgeon sued 32 times in the course of 10 years who was compelled to pay $3.9 million in settlements or jury awards to 24 different patients. New Yorkers make frequent use of the site to protect themselves from doctors like these. 35,000 people logged on to the site to research New York physicians in December alone.
Basis for a New York doctor negligence lawsuit
At The Sanders Firm, we would like to see New Yorkers get the best medical care possible and using the NYDoctorProfile.com site allows them to avoid repeat malpractice offenders, as well as get basic information about a potential doctor’s qualifications. However, if a patient begins to have concerns about a doctor that he or she is already seeing, it is also useful to have a tool that reveals whether others also have had problems with the doctor.
In some cases, a patient may believe it is time to file a lawsuit based on doctor negligence. The site may serve to back up concerns and demonstrate that there may, indeed, be grounds for such a claim.ed.
Legal assistance for victims of medical negligence
If you are a NYC resident and have concerns about your experience with a medical professional, we would encourage you to look at the NYDoctorProfile.com website, but also to speak with a lawyer at The Sanders Firm about your legal options. A malpractice lawsuit can be difficult to pursue and is not always advised. However, there are times when such a course is encouraged as a way to provide compensation for victims and to hold doctors accountable.
Contact The Sanders Firm for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our malpractice attorneys. We can look into crucial issues related to whether your doctor’s actions fell below the accepted standard of care and caused serious harm to you or a loved one. We can be reached toll-free at 1-800-FAIR-PLAY. Resources
- NY Daily News, New York Can’t Let the Bad Doctors Hide http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/editorial-new-york-bad-doctors-hide-article-1.2123515
- NY State Physician Profile Website http://nydoctorprofile.com/
