Wisconsin Doctors Writing Bogus Excuse Notes Face Day of Reckoning, March 21st

Thank goodness for Dr. Patrick McKenna. He was kind enough to alert everyone to the fact that "12" doctors were engaging professional misconduct. On this blog, I have been very interested in naming names and have come up with 8, I think. Luckily for me, The Department of Regulation and Licensing (DRL) has identified 11 of them. Evidently nine are licensed by the state of Wisconsin and two are unlicensed, i.e. interns/residents.

Other fascinating tidbits~

The DRL has received complaints from 64 individuals who had specific information that would constitute a complaint.

Physicians identified by the DRL have until March 21, 2011 to provide responses.

The school district states they are investigating 1020 medical excuse notes for legitimacy.

The complete statement from Secretary Ross :

The Department of Regulation and Licensing (DRL) received numerous contacts from individuals expressing concern about physicians who were allegedly writing medical excuses for individuals attending rallies at the Capitol last month.

DRL staff reviewed all of the correspondence and determined that 64 individuals who contacted the department had specific information that would constitute a complaint. Based on the information provided by those 64 individuals, DRL identified 11 people who have been asked to provide information to the department about their activities at the Capitol. This group includes nine licensed physicians and two unlicensed individuals. The 11 individuals have been requested to provide their responses to DRL by March 21st.

Responses from the individuals in question will be considered by a screening panel of the Medical Examining Board which will decide whether to open investigations in these matters. If a case is opened for investigation, a more extensive fact-finding would occur and a recommendation would be made at the end of the process as to whether disciplinary action will be pursued.

Any charge against a physician is taken seriously and this is no exception. Rest assured, the agency is processing these complaints as quickly as possible. DRL will be working with the independent Medical Examining Board to appropriately review these complaints.

The DRL and MEB are charged with licensing qualified, competent physicians and enforcing discipline against physicians whose practice is substandard.

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