There’s been a complaint filed against you with the state medical board – and they say there’s video evidence of your wrongful actions.
Video has increasingly become a factor in all kinds of legal proceedings, so it’s no surprise that it ends up being part of professional license investigations.
How can video evidence be obtained?
Medical privacy laws protect patients rather fiercely, so how could video evidence even exist? Well, consider this:
- A relative of the patient activated their camera phone and recorded you saying or doing something that is deemed unacceptable, negligent or abusive.
- There was a security camera on the premises, and you were caught on tape doing something that, at the very least, looks questionable.
- If you were arrested, police body cams and dash-cam footage could become evidence in your license suspension hearing.
For that matter, you could have even taken the video yourself. The “Dancing Doctor,” for example, bought herself YouTube fame and medical infamy (along with an indefinite suspension of her license) by filming herself rocking and rapping while doing cosmetic surgery on her patients.
Consider this: The average person in the United States is “caught on camera” around 34 times every day – and that could be higher if you’re a physician who works in a hospital where security cameras abound. With this in mind, you need to be particularly careful about how your actions might appear (and sound) to others.
Regardless of your situation, you need to respond quickly to any allegations of professional misconduct. Proactive defense is the best way to preserve your license and your future.
