North Carolina Medical Board Wants Malpractice Data on Web Site

The North Carolina Medical Board will hold a public hearing later this month on a proposal to post doctors’ malpractice information on its Web site.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reported this week that the idea has already drawn the opposition of the state’s private physicians association.

The board wants to disclose malpractice payments going back seven years.

The site wouldn’t disclose patient identities or payment amounts. Doctors could add their comments. The information would include whether the medical board had publicly disciplined the doctor.

The board will vote on the plan after the public hearing June 30.

The North Carolina Medical Society said the board should only disclose payments in future cases because doctors might not have agreed to past settlements if they knew they were going to be public.

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Information from: The News & Observer,
http://www.newsobserver.com