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Florida may suspend license for wrong-site surgery

Quality Improvement Monitor, July 28, 2005

Florida physicians could face increased fines or license suspensions for performing wrong-site surgeries after the state Board of Medicine meets next month, according to Outpatient Surgery Magazine.

The board disciplined nine physicians in April for wrong-site errors, the magazine reported. Each was fined $10,000 or $20,000. Dating back to July 1, 2004, 38 physicians received fines, up from 36 the year prior, the magazine reported.

In addition to the fines, physicians must perform 50-100 hours of community service, undergo remedial training, and publish a report about their mistake, a board spokesperson told Outpatient Surgery, but the board is frustrated that the problem persists.

The board will consider making license suspensions standard if a physician commits more than one wrong-site surgical error, the magazine reported. None of the cases in the past year resulted in suspensions.

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