Auditors examining the Illinois agency that disciplines bad doctors found a long list of troubling symptoms, including backlogs, staff shortages, missing paperwork and investigations being improperly closed.
The report issued by Auditor General William Holland found problems in investigations, monitoring doctors on probation, getting accurate information to the public and staffing the board that reviews cases.
But the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said the findings don’t add up to anything serious. Secretary Dean Martinez said most of the problems are paperwork errors or small glitches in the department’s procedures.
“Our position would be that there is no concern to the safety of the public,” he said in a telephone interview. “The fact that there may be some process issues should not alarm the public.”
Seventy percent of the files auditors examined were missing some documents, such as information about past complaints. Hundreds of cases were closed without documentation showing that the department’s Medical Disciplinary Board had approved ending the investigation.
More than half of the investigations dragged out beyond five months, which was the target for finishing probes. One lasted three years.
Topics Illinois
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