Grothman Rips Medical Examining Board for Merely Slapping the Wrists of Unethical Doctors
Madison: Today, State Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) expressed extreme displeasure at the insignificant punishment handed out to doctors who earlier this year passed out dozens and perhaps hundreds of obviously fraudulent excuses for protesters who were calling in sick.
“It is important that people have confidence in the integrity of their doctors,” said Grothman. “If a medical provider provides phony excuses for friends and political allies, how do we know these same doctors are not making up fraudulent excuses for cases involving workers compensation, personal injury claims, or falsely prescribing prescription drugs?”
These fraudulent excuses were not without financial damage to employers. School boards and taxpayers had to pay for substitute teachers, and parents may have been forced to miss work or pay for daycare when schools were needlessly closed.
“I would have expected at least a month’s loss of license for so brazenly making up excuses for people who wanted a day off,” said Grothman. “It is also disappointing the University of Wisconsin has not independently suspended doctors under their purview. This will only perpetuate a stereotype that the UW is just concerned about keeping their well-paid employees getting a paycheck, and the Medical Examining Board is more concerned about protecting the paychecks of unethical and unscrupulous doctors than maintaining integrity in the medical profession.”
The Medical Examining Board is currently made up of 12 members, only three of which are not members of the medical community.
“It is clear the Good Old Boy Network is too prevalent on the Medical Examining Board and the State Legislature should act to include more private citizens who will express greater concern for fundamental ethics in medicine and restore the public’s confidence in this state licensing board,” said Grothman. “Perhaps two new members that are employers who have to suffer the consequences of doctors who frivolously approve sick claims will help provide some semblance of balance to the Board.”