An audit of the Illinois Medical Disciplinary Board has revealed a host of problems, including backlogs, staff shortages, missing paperwork and investigations being improperly closed, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation says the infractions are minor glitches that don't put patients in danger. But auditors disagreed, expressing concern over the lag time in investigating accusations against doctors. If there is a valid concern about a physician's competence, the longer that doctor goes uninvestigated, the more likely it is that another problem could arise. In response to the audit, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation secretary Dean Martinez says the board will hire three more staffers to decrease the backlog.
- see this Chicago Tribune report for more