It’s time to fix the Georgia Composite Medical Board or just eliminate it

For years, Georgia lawmakers have failed to fix one of the biggest failings of the state’s government: the Georgia Composite Medical Board, despite private admissions that something needs to be done.

Frankly, it’s a scandal that is hiding in plain sight, and even the “mainstream media” won’t bother to explore the breadth of the state agency’s failings.

The agency has had three directors in the past decade, and at least two of them that I have spoken with personally acknowledged its shortcomings.

Additionally, in private conversations I have had with state lawmakers, there seems to be no disagreement that something needs to be done. Publicly, however, their tact is different; it’s one of outright indifference.

I know all too well the agency’s failings. They failed to properly investigate the death of my son, even when presented with evidence that the hospital violated its own protocols and whitewashed an internal investigation.

Don’t take my word for it. The head of the Georgia Composite Medical Board told me the Georgia Bureau of Investigation should have been contacted.

You read that right. The agency head, who himself has a background in law enforcement, said the state’s investigative agency should have been called to investigate. They weren’t. The current head said he could call them in, but he won’t. He won’t answer my questions.

“It seems the hospital had a situation that they needed to rectify, and I think they rectified it after, after this,” the director told me. “…I would have got the GBI involved. Yes, sir, whether they wanted to or not, I would have asked.”

I guess there is no bonus for solving a suspicious death.

People should be outraged. I doubt many are.

Gov. Brian P. Kemp should fire the head of the Georgia Composite Medical Board. I doubt he will.

Lawmakers should demand the board’s incompetence be fixed. They do when no one is listening, but they lack the courage of conviction.

One might think journalists would care about this story. The ones I’ve spoken with don’t. I guess there wasn’t a press release, so it’s not worth their time.

Besides, the critics of the Georgia Composite Medical Board aren’t that powerful a voting bloc.

In short, sadly, it’s a story no one really cares about.

I’m tired of shouting into the ether about it, but I’m too stubborn to quit. If you care, share this post. Maybe someone will see it and realize more than one person out there cares.