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More important to me than kicking out older physicians is to address the changing face of medical care in this state. When you go to the ER or see your regular physician (and in fact most specialists as well) you will, for most of us these days, see a midlevel who has two years of training outside of college and function as doctors. Some are truly excellent, and many should not be doing this job, are clearly undertrained. On the other hand, a seventy year old physician who can still walk and is willing to work, there are not that many out there, is often a treasure of knowledge and experience. If we think they are senile we can choose to see someone else.

By john gusdon,m.d. on Nov 16, 2015 at 11:53am

An exceedingly complex, multifaceted and difficult area. I would be pleased to be involved in further round table panels and discussions.
Can we depend on all older physicians or for that matter any physician to work within their capabilities and limit their practice?
This issue makes MOC shrink in comparison.
Now remind me again, how is it that we determine these issues in local, state and national politicians? I guess it is by a vote of the people.

By Eugene M. Bozymski MD on Nov 16, 2015 at 2:03pm

Why are we always looking to fix something that isn’t broken?  Is there any evidence to suggest that there is an epidemic of aging, cognitively impaired physicians?  Aren’t there already local mechanisms in place to identify impaired physicians (CPI committees, credentials committees, the PHP, hospital-based behavioral committees)?  Furthermore, most physicians currently practicing are subject to board recertification, MOC, and a host of alphabet soup programs to assure our “competence”.
Enough of these new initiatives.  Stop the circular firing squads, please.

By Robert Appel MD on Nov 16, 2015 at 8:56pm

I was eighty yrs. old on 11/08/15.Came to Lumberton in 1970 in solo IM.[Now in Raleigh}  Keep my license up as a retiree so that I will be forced to read and do my CME.  Wow has medicine changed since finishing MUSC in 1963. Not all has been good.  Thanks to the NCMB for their work, often in their thankless position.  Thanks Dr. Walker-McGill.  Thought provoking article.

By George S. Nettles MD on Nov 17, 2015 at 1:30pm

Medical care in general is suffering from a massive “experience drain” (as Dr. Gudson has noted) and the quality is diminishing as a result. It would be refreshing to see Medicare officials put into place a way for competent older part-time physicians to be compensated for mentoring these undereducated PAs and NPs. As with all mentoring/tutoring programs, the learning goes both ways. What better way to keep the mind active!

By John Roberts, M.D. (Retired) on Nov 25, 2015 at 11:48am

I heartily agree with Dr. Appel (above).  Incompetent (for whatever reason) physicians are identified and addressed by their peers and the medical community. We already have insurance companies dictating treatments / meds and Medicare dictating how we practice medicine and now you’re suggesting yet another regulatory action?  There is already an exodus of primary care physicians taking early retirement due to disgust with all the regulations imposed on us so why would you want to unnecessarily add to this burden??????

By Amy Charlesworth MD on Nov 30, 2015 at 8:29am

On the surface, this seems both intrusive and unnecessary.  Board certification, yearly updating exams with most specialty boards, and maintaining CME already argues for ongoing evaluation of suitability to practice.  I am certain that some edict from the medical board will cost me a fee, and I will be expected to voluntarily forfeit the time for this onerous mandatory testing or filling in an evaluation without a peep of protest.  The board already has the capability to investigate, and does, any complaint about a physician’s competence.

By Celia Entwistle MD on Dec 31, 2015 at 6:30pm