GAO finds gaps in doctors’ credential records

GAO finds gaps in doctors’ credential records
By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 21, 2011 14:00:34 EST
After Army Maj. Nidal Hasan opened fire at a Fort Hood, Texas, processing center in November 2009, killing 13 people, Congress called for an audit of the Defense Department’s process for screening military doctors, questioning whether physicians who treat military personnel and their families are properly vetted.

A federal watchdog agency has found that while the Defense Department has strict protocols to verify and review physician credentials and practice histories, inconsistencies exist among the military services’ oversight agencies — gaps that leave patients vulnerable to questionable medical care.

DoD develops and oversees the credentialing and privilege requirements of physicians to ensure consistency across the military health system. In general, military doctors must have current, valid unrestricted licenses; must disclose all past licenses; are required to furnish complete malpractice histories; and must undergo peer review.

The services’ surgeons general are responsible for implementing these requirements within their commands.

But the Government Accountability Office found that at five Army hospitals, 150 credential files lacked the required documentation, including in some cases the doctor’s actual medical license. Some held copies of the licenses while others lacked peer recommendations or performance assessments, according to the report.
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