title: Sanctions and recidivism: an evaluation of physician discipline by state medical boards.
abstract: This article descriptively assesses how physicians are disciplined by state medical boards throughout the United States, drawing on a nationwide database of sanctions delivered during the period 1994-2002. We identify the frequency and severity of disciplinary actions, the offenses leading to actions, and the degree to which sanctioned physicians are subsequently sanctioned again in the future. The most significant finding is that there are a very large number of repeat offenders among physicians who have received board sanctions, indicating a possible need for greater monitoring of disciplined physicians or less reliance upon rehabilitative sanctions.
authors.affiliation: Sam Houston State University, USA.
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Kelly C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Alfred
mesh_terms: D004647:Employee Discipline / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement / Q000379:methods*; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D028743:Professional Misconduct / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011678:Punishment; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D013044:Specialty Boards; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States