Questions about specialization in Florida

[Bevo]

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excuse me if I sound naive on this matter. I really have no intention of practicing in florida but a friend of mine believes that if he did family practice or internal medicine and did all his electives during his 4th year of medical school in cardiology or something. Then because of that he would be able to practice cardiology in the state of florida and advertise himself as a general practioner specializing in cardiology.

Personally, i think if he tried todo something like that he'd lose his license to practice medicine.

Am I right in what Im thinking? or is he correct?

 

[mpp]

I am certainly don't know all the legal aspects, but I think if your friend tried that he would have trouble finding any insurance company or HMO that would reimburse him for those cardiology services. He also would not be able to find anybody to cover him for malpractice insurance. So, if he is independently wealthy so that he doesn't need much reimbursement (or only finds patients that will self pay) and can hire some good lawyers he can try that, but it's probably a bad idea.

 

[maxheadroom]

Ummmm . . . a few rotations as an M4 does not a cardiologist make . . .

There is a significant group of FP/IM PCPs who have a "special interest" in cardiac problems. These docs often have some sort of advanced training in dealing with the long-term needs of patients with CHF, post MI, and other chronic primary care/cardiac needs.

Also, most med schools require some amount of diversity in the M4 curriculum.

The other point about the inability to purchase malpractice insurance outside of your area of expertise is correct. The poster didn't note, however, that most hospitals won't grant privileges outside of the practitioner's field of expertise (e.g. as a plastic surgeon, they won't let me schedule a CABG).

 

[Winged Scapula]

State of Florida or not, your friend CAN advertise him or herself as a GP/FP (whatever) "specializing" in cardiology (not a legal term) as long as he is licensed to practice medicine. What he cannot do is advertise that he is a cardiologist (term implying completion of appropriate training). Anyone can hang a shingle out and call themselves a GP as long as they are licensed, but the specific terms such as Psychiatrist, Cardiologist, Gastroenterologist, Plastic Surgeon are legal terms.

Just look at all the people doing cosmetic surgery/procedures - you don't have to have completed a residency in PRS to do liposuction or any number of other things and people have caught on and added these things to their practice (many after a single short course). They cannot advertise themselves as a Plastic Surgeon but there are a myriad of terms to convey these things (sort of like "cheese flavoured" which generally means contains no real cheese but some cheese like substance).

At any rate, the insurance reimbursement issue is a real one. He will not likely be able to bill for procedures that companies have determined must be done by a specialist; he may not have admitting priviledges (many FPs do not) or be able to treat his patients on a Tele unit.

If your friend is interested in practicing Cards, he should do a cardiology fellowship and not try and short-cut things which may end up biting him in the arse. The laws are getting stricter on these things, not more lenient (and Florida is a HIGHLY litiginous state - would hate to have him sued by a patient because he misread an Echo or some other advanced Cards tool).