State Medical Board seeks far-reaching reforms to discipline bad doctors

Long under fire from patients and consumer advocates, the Medical Board of California is asking lawmakers to pass several far-reaching reforms to help it discipline bad doctors, including lowering the standard of proof necessary to prove cases.

In an 11-page letter and memo sent to Legislative leaders this week, board officials also asked them to increase the waiting time for doctors to petition to reinstate their revoked licenses. The board also seeks a hike in licensing fees on doctors, its primary source of revenue.

“We hear from people every day about the impact that the board has on their lives,” President Kristina Lawson said in an interview Friday. “These proposals were developed because we’re listening, we want to improve, these proposals will help us improve, and we need the Legislature’s help to improve.”