Mr. Arnett would prefer a dry, factual discussion of the Medical Board, sanitized of anything that might depict tragedy. However, drama and tragedy are not lacking in the real lives of physicians subject to Medical Board discipline. In fact, the analogy in our article does not adequately capture the reality. The lioness is too intelligent and hunts only for a genuine need. The gazelle is too ignorant. He has not spent years in education and service to his kind. Nor has he struggled under an increasing burden of regulations and economic pressures to practice his profession. The kindness of a quick kill does not capture the anguish of those who observe, fully conscious, the slow destruction of their careers, families, and finances and who then contemplate suicide.
The only hope is for physicians to educate themselves and become politically active. The Medical Board should be more intelligent and selective in decisions on whom to discipline. De minimus infractions or a single act of negligence should not subject a physician to license revocation. A pattern of negligent practice should exist before disciplinary proceedings are instituted. Medical controversies should not be resolved by Medical Board discipline. Until standards are clearly established in the medical community, it is impertinent for a state agency to dictate a standard. Retaliatory discipline of whistle blowers or the politically unpopular is an improper use of the powers of the state.
The Medical Board should be qualified under the same requirements of a medical laboratory test. To be effective, a medical test should be both sensitive and specific. Sensitive, in that it picks up all the potential positives. Specific, in that it picks up only the positives. It does not pick up negatives as false positives. With the new legislative impetus to discipline physicians, the Medical Board has increased its sensitivity but lost its specificity. Now some very good physicians are being subjected unjustly to disciplinary proceedings – with tragic consequences.
Mr. Arnett’s letter attacks our metaphor but ignores our message. Perhaps he cannot respond!
Sharon Barclay-Kime
Robert J. Sullivan
The only hope is for physicians to educate themselves and become politically active. The Medical Board should be more intelligent and selective in decisions on whom to discipline. De minimus infractions or a single act of negligence should not subject a physician to license revocation. A pattern of negligent practice should exist before disciplinary proceedings are instituted. Medical controversies should not be resolved by Medical Board discipline. Until standards are clearly established in the medical community, it is impertinent for a state agency to dictate a standard. Retaliatory discipline of whistle blowers or the politically unpopular is an improper use of the powers of the state.
The Medical Board should be qualified under the same requirements of a medical laboratory test. To be effective, a medical test should be both sensitive and specific. Sensitive, in that it picks up all the potential positives. Specific, in that it picks up only the positives. It does not pick up negatives as false positives. With the new legislative impetus to discipline physicians, the Medical Board has increased its sensitivity but lost its specificity. Now some very good physicians are being subjected unjustly to disciplinary proceedings – with tragic consequences.
Mr. Arnett’s letter attacks our metaphor but ignores our message. Perhaps he cannot respond!
Sharon Barclay-Kime
Robert J. Sullivan
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