Docs Upset by Nixing Due Process When Patients Make Unproven Allegations

For Immediate Release
January 10, 2021

 

Docs Upset by Nixing Due Process When Patients
Make Unproven Allegations

 

Statement Attributable to:
Bonnie Litvack, MD
President, Medical Society of the State of New York

“It is stunning that after a year of physicians working on the front lines in every region of the State responding to the pandemic – in which many physicians themselves became very sick and some even passed away – that they are again faced with the proposal to eliminate essential due process rights when a complaint has been filed against them with the Office of Professional Medical Conduct.  When a similar proposal was advanced last year in the Executive Budget, we highlighted that very few complaints filed with the disciplinary board (roughly 2-3%) actually result in a disciplinary action.

“We remain committed to working with the Governor and the New York State Department of Health to protect our patients through maintaining a strong disciplinary process and addressing identified gaps. However, we remain extremely concerned with overbroad measures that hold serious potential to unfairly destroy a physician’s career through the release of allegations that have not been proven yet could remain easily “searchable” on the internet forever.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.


Media Contact:
Roseann Raia
Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Ave.
Westbury, New York
516-488-6100 ext 302
rraia@mssny.org