A California Medical Board accusation may charge anything from gross negligence to technical prescribing or record keeping violations. If found culpable, in the worst case the phyician may face license revocation or, at a minimum, years of probation with various terms or requirements including practice monitoring. If probation is imposed, many malpractice insurers will balk at coverage and some hospitals or medical groups will automatically exclude the probationer for the full term of probation. That is why it is essential that each accusation be reviewed by counsel experienced in Medical Board matters and the negotiation of settlement terms short of revocation or probation, i.e., a public reprimand.
Public reprimand will not be achievable in every disciplinary case, but in those where it is deemed appropriate, it can save the physician from neeedless economic and personal hardship, since insurers as well as medical employers view the reprimand far less seriously than probation. It may be well worth the money and effort to consult an attorney knowledgeable in California's disciplinary rules, regulations and Medical Board policies.
