Indiana state government websites with this information can be difficult to navigate. But with this guide, you should be able to see for yourself whether complaints have been filed against a doctor, or if that doctor’s license has been suspended or revoked.
Complaints
Go to https://www.indianapcf.com/
Click “Search for Healthcare Provider”
Then, narrow your search by clicking the button marked “Individual.”
Two boxes will appear asking you to enter the provider (or doctor’s) first and last name. Enter the names and click search.
If there are “Claims” (or complaints) against the doctor, a bar will appear listing the doctor’s name, address and the number of claims filed against the doctor.
Beneath the bar will be four buttons. Clicking on “View Policies” will show you what malpractice insurance coverage the doctor has and whether his insurance has ever been canceled.
The “View Aliases” button will show you if the doctor is known to the Indiana Insurance Department by other names. (Example; if a doctor had a name change because of marriage.)
You will get the most information by clicking the “Claims” button. A listing of all claims against the doctor will appear. The list will include whether the claim filed is active or closed, the status of the claim, and the date it was filed.
To see more about an individual claim, click “View.” If that complaint has been settled, under “Fund Settlement Amount” will be the amount paid to the patient/plaintiff.
To get more details on a claim, click “Claim Documents.” That will show you the public documents associated with the claim. The more significant documents are:
“Proposed Complaint” – it details the plaintiff (person who has filed the case) and the defendants, which can include a list of doctors, medical practices, and hospitals named in the complaint. Some complaints do not detail specifically what allegedly went wrong during medical care.
“Medical Review Panel Opinions” – Under state law, a panel of three doctors can be asked to review evidence (charts, x-rays, test results, depositions, etc.) and render an opinion. The panel decided whether the accused doctor deviated from the “appropriate standard of care,” and if so, whether that deviation resulted in the patient’s damages or death. The cost for the medal review panel is about $3,000 (and the loser pays the fee).
“Dismissal” – At the degression of the patient/plaintiff, defendants can be removed (or dismissed) from a complaint.
It is important to note, a claim filed against a doctor is merely an accusation of medical wrongdoing. It is not a finding or a verdict.
Discipline
The website to look up whether a doctor (or other licensed professionals) have been disciplined is: https://www.in.gov/ai/appfiles/pla-litigation/
Start by clicking “Begin Your Search.” On the next page, click “Advanced Search.” Then, fill in the doctor’s name and under “Select A Board,” choose “Medical Licensing Board” and then just click “Search.”
If no disciplinary records exist for that doctor, the search will come back with “No matching records were found.”
If there are records on file with the Medical Licensing Board about a doctor, they may include:
“Complaint” – Often these documents are entered by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office. They provide information for the Medical Licensing Board to consider regarding actions by a doctor.
“Finding of Facts and Order” – These are the decisions rendered by the Medical Licensing Board and how the board came to those decisions. These documents will announce if a doctor has been exonerated, reprimanded, placed on probation or if their license has been suspended or revoked.
“ES Order” – These documents are connected to a doctor who has been suspended from practicing medicine. These filings can also announce the Medical Licensing Board’s decision when a doctor applies to have a suspension lifted.
“Petition for Summary Suspension” – The Indiana Attorney General’s Office can also ask the Medical Licensing Board of an expedited action if it discovers a doctor has been arrested, charged, or indicted for a crime.
“Board issued probation from application/renewal”- When doctors apply for a medical license or a renewal of a current license, they are asked a series of questions. They include whether they have been charged with a crime, or if their medical license in another state had been suspended or revoked, or if they were placed on probation, or found guilty of malpractice. A “yes” answer to any of those questions prompts a review by the Medical Licensing Board. Also, when a doctor is found to have failed to disclose an arrest or problems with their medical practice, that also initiates a review by the Board.
