Doctors Don’t Report Colleagues

A blue code of silence has protected police officers from being reported for misconduct. This unwritten rule keeps fellow officers from revealing errors or criminal activity. Now a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that a similar code of silence prevents many doctors from reporting colleagues who are impaired or incompetent.
Even though the AMA has a code of ethics that states doctors have an ethical obligation to report such behavior, a survey of nearly 3,000 physicians found that many don’t comply. In this research, about one third who knew of an incompetent colleague did not report the person to the relevant authorities. Reasons for not reporting included the belief that someone else would take action, the worry that nothing would happen as a result of a report and the fear of retribution. The authors conclude that the current atmosphere results in patients being exposed to unacceptable risks.
[JAMA, July, 14 2010]