While not all doctors are board certified, board certified doctors are required to meet nationally recognized standards that are above what is required for basic medical licensure. However, just because a doctor is not certified does not mean they are less able or qualified to care for you.
The American Board of Medical Specialties offers a website called Certification Matters, where you can enter your physician’s information and find out if your doctor is board certified.
Some state medical boards post records of disciplinary cases online. You can check if a physician has malpractice claims or if they have been investigated for sexual misconduct, substance abuse, negligence or other wrongdoing.
Keep in mind however that often meetings in which physicians are reprimanded are confidential and not made public.
See the Federation of State Medical Boards website for information on how to get in contact with your State Medical Board.
A well-guided Internet search is often helpful in finding news or police reports, court records, or even social media posts that patients have written to inform others about quality of care.
Health Grades
HealthGrades.com provides information about physicians, including board certification, disciplinary actions, patient reviews, and more.
Insurance providers
Insurance companies have websites that can tell you whether a physician, drug, or treatment is covered by your insurance. Many offer patient reviews for physicians in their network.
Open Payments Data
Manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, or biologics are required to disclose their financial relationships with physicians. The Open Payments Data website allows patients to see how much money a physician has accepted from corporations in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. Feel free to ask your doctor about these relationships if you think it could affect your care.