The Relationship Between Board Certification and Disciplinary Actions Against Board-Eligible Family Physicians. 2019

Michael R Peabody, and Aaron Young, and Lars E Peterson, and Thomas R O'Neill, and Xiaomei Pei, and Katie Arnhart, and Humayun J Chaudhry, and James C Puffer
M.R. Peabody is senior psychometrician, American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky. A. Young is assistant vice president, Research and Data Integration, Federation of State Medical Boards, Euless, Texas. L.E. Peterson is vice president of research, American Board of Family Medicine, and assistant professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky. T.R. O'Neill is vice president of psychometric services, American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky. X. Pei is senior research analyst, Federation of State Medical Boards, Euless, Texas. K. Arnhart is senior research analyst, Federation of State Medical Boards, Euless, Texas. H.J. Chaudhry is president and chief executive officer, Federation of State Medical Boards, Euless, Texas. J.C. Puffer is president and chief executive officer emeritus, American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky.

Lack of specialty board certification has been reported as a significant physician-level predictor of receiving a disciplinary action from a state medical board. This study investigated the association between family physicians receiving a disciplinary action from a state medical board and certification by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM). Three datasets were merged and a series of logistic regressions were conducted examining the relationship between certification status and disciplinary actions when adjusting for covariates. Data were available from 1976 to 2017. Predictor variables were gender, age, medical training degree type, medical school location, and the severity of the action. Of the family physicians in this sample, 95% (114,454/120,443) had never received any disciplinary action. Having ever been certified was associated with a reduced likelihood of ever receiving an action (odds ratio [OR] = 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30, 0.40; P < .001), and having held a prior but not current certification at the time of the action was associated with an increase in receiving the most severe type of action (OR = 3.71; 95% CI = 2.24, 6.13; P < .001). Disciplinary actions are uncommon events. Family physicians who had ever been ABFM certified were less likely to receive an action. The most severe actions were associated with decreased odds of being board certified at the time of the action. Receiving the most severe action type increased the likelihood of physicians holding a prior but not current certification.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010821 Physicians, Family Those physicians who have completed the education requirements specified by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Physician,Family Physicians,Physician, Family
D002568 Certification Compliance with a set of standards defined by non-governmental organizations. Certification is applied for by individuals on a voluntary basis and represents a professional status when achieved, e.g., certification for a medical specialty. Certification Level,Certification Levels,Certifications,Level, Certification,Levels, Certification
D002983 Clinical Competence The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care. Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D004647 Employee Discipline Regulations or conditions imposed on employees by management in order to correct or prevent behaviors which are counterproductive to the organization. Personnel Discipline,Discipline, Employee,Discipline, Personnel,Disciplines, Employee,Disciplines, Personnel,Employee Disciplines,Personnel Disciplines
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D012577 Schools, Medical Educational institutions for individuals specializing in the field of medicine. Medical Schools,Medical School,School, Medical

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