A third of physicians who knew of an impaired or incompetent physician co-worker did not report the doctor to authorities at a hospital, medical clinic or any professional boards, according to a recent study of almost 2,000 doctors.
The survey published in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that only 64 percent of doctors agreed that there's a professional obligation to report impaired or incompetent fellow physicians. The remaining 36 percent reject any obligation or only "somewhat agreed" that they had a responsibility to report their impaired colleagues.
The American Medical Association and other professional societies agree that physicians bear an ethical obligation to report impaired or incompetent doctors.
More Than a Career at Stake If A Doctor Habitually Abuses Drugs or Alcohol
Much more than the doctor's career is at stake in cases of impairment or negligence, of course. Patients' health and lives are affected any time a physician is negligent in the performance of duties or attempts to administer care while impaired.
In New York, a doctor is guilty of professional misconduct when they practice medicine with negligence on more than one occasion. But under New York law, a doctor is also guilty of professional misconduct when he or she is "a habitual abuser of alcohol, or being dependent on or a habitual user of narcotics, barbiturates, amphetamines, hallucinogens, or other drugs having similar effects."
The consequences of professional misconduct can include revocation of the doctor's license to practice.
A Drunk Driving Arrest Can Be a Wake-Up Call
A doctor in the throes of addiction may not realize the risks that drug or alcohol addiction poses for his patients. A physician may not realize the consequences to career and lifestyle if she is convicted of drunk driving. Other medical professionals cannot be relied upon to report alcohol or drug abuse before a serious accident or incident occurs. But a DUI arrest may be a wake-up call for any doctor, nurse or medical professional that abuses alcohol or drugs.
If you are a doctor, nurse or other medical professional that has been arrested or is facing charges for DUI, contact a skilled New York DUI defense attorney. A criminal defense attorney can explain your legal and career options after a DUI arrest.
