The Physician Self-Reporting Provision of Act 13
What to report
As of May 19, 2002, physicians are obligated to report to their licensure board (either the State Board of Medicine or State Board of Osteopathic Medicine) within 60 days of the occurrence of the following:
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Writ of Summons vs. complaint
Often a physician will be notified of an action by either a Writ of Summons or a complaint. A Writ notifies you that you have been sued, but provides no detail. A complaint describes the alleged factual basis for the lawsuit.
While you will want to report receipt of a Writ of Summons to your professional liability carrier, the licensure boards only want you to report when you actually receive the complaint. |
- Notice of a civil malpractice lawsuit
- Notice of a disciplinary action against the physician by the licensing authority of another state
- Any controlled substance conviction
Any arrest for a criminal offense such as homicide, assault, sexual offenses, and controlled substance violations
What to include Reports to the appropriate licensure board must include the following information (or use the Act 13 self-reporting form at the
bottom of this page):
- Physician’s name and business address
- The date the physician was served
- The court where the case was filed
- The Docket number (the number assigned by the court)
- A brief description of the allegations
- A copy of the civil complaint or court documents relating to a disciplinary action, controlled substance conviction, or criminal offense arrest
Where to send
When all the required information is accumulated, complete and send the report to:
State Board of Medicine
Attn: Mcare Reports
PO Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
State Board of Osteopathic Medicine
Attn: Mcare Reports
PO Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
The Department of State’s Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation have developed criteria and standards for review of reports to the respective licensure boards based on the frequency and severity of complaints filed against a physician.
Failure to report will result in a fine of $1000.
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Last Updated: 10/15/2007