The Financial Impact of Professional Discipline on Clinicians: A Case for Preventive Education

Abstract

Regulatory organizations, such as medical licensing boards and private healthcare organizations, evaluate clinicians for lapses in professionalism involving ethics, record keeping, prescribing, and civic duties. Disciplinary action against these clinicians consists of direct penalties, loss of license or credentials, probation of practices, and reputational damage. Specialized remedial education courses often are one of the numerous stages required for a physician to regain good standing with their regulating agency. Many clinicians enrolled in such courses state that the total financial impact of disciplinary action against them is significant. This 2021 study analyzed the financial impact of professional discipline on clinicians who enrolled in a course provided by a large organization specializing in providing remedial CME on various professionalism-focused topics to satisfy disciplinary and regulatory actions. Of the 195 participants, approximately 157 participants completed the questionnaire. Using these data, we have developed hypotheses and recommendations for enhancing education or training focused on topics of professionalism to reduce the need for formal discipline at the outset. Our research shows that disciplinary action has a significant financial and emotional impact on clinicians and that preventative education, or education or training focused on topics of professionalism, can be an important tool to limit the need for disciplinary action.