How well does your state protect patients?

By Carrie Teegardin and Saurabh Datar

State lawmakers can play a key role in protecting patients from sexually abusive doctors. However, despite decades of warnings about legal gaps, most states still leave patients vulnerable, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found. To assess the states, the AJC relied on model laws identified by regulators, federal officials, patient advocates and the newspaper’s own examination of thousands of doctor sex abuse cases nationwide. The findings are grouped by the five categories listed below, each scored for up to 100 possible points.

Read more: Failing grades: Patients at risk | Prosecutor: ʻPimp with a prescription pad’

Click on these buttons to see how well states do in each category. Click on any state to see how well it protects patients.

  • Overall rating
  • Transparency
  • Duty-to-report laws
  • Board composition
  • Criminal acts
  • Discipline laws

State rating

Rank State Overall rating Transparency Duty-to-report laws Board composition Criminal acts Discipline laws
1 Delaware 91 74 100 93 98 90
2 Texas 80 90 52 70 96 90
3 California 74 70 82 85 68 63
4 Minnesota 73 88 72 75 48 83
5 Maryland 71 78 66 75 68 70
6 Kansas 69 78 76 60 48 81
7 Washington 68 72 64 78 64 60
8 Connecticut 67 76 68 78 44 70
8 Michigan 67 66 68 73 60 70
10 Arizona 66 74 52 65 60 78
10 Massachusetts 66 62 80 85 40 65
10 Ohio 66 84 72 60 44 68
13 District of Columbia 65 56 56 65 76 70
13 Iowa 65 71 48 83 68 55
15 Florida 64 58 74 65 76 45
15 New Jersey 64 76 84 55 36 70
15 North Dakota 64 72 76 65 44 63
15 Virginia 64 78 100 75 20 45
19 Rhode Island 63 68 60 85 20 80
19 Vermont 63 68 80 75 20 70
21 Alaska 62 54 40 80 44 90
21 Kentucky 62 64 76 55 42 75
21 New Mexico 62 72 76 58 60 45
21 North Carolina 62 74 52 75 36 73
21 Oregon 62 56 80 80 56 40
21 West Virginia 62 62 76 68 40 65
27 Illinois 61 46 84 75 36 65
27 Nebraska 61 72 78 80 36 40
27 New York 61 68 84 50 52 50
30 Tennessee 60 62 58 73 52 55
31 Maine 59 74 60 65 28 68
31 Nevada 59 42 100 70 36 45
33 Colorado 56 64 40 70 48 60
34 Georgia 55 68 48 60 28 70
34 Missouri 55 56 56 60 20 85
36 New Hampshire 54 36 44 70 68 50
37 Montana 53 52 76 65 24 50
37 Pennsylvania 53 60 56 70 20 60
39 Wisconsin 52 50 52 65 36 55
40 Alabama 51 54 60 55 40 45
41 Indiana 50 68 30 60 36 58
41 South Carolina 50 54 36 55 40 65
43 Idaho 49 48 52 55 68 20
44 Arkansas 47 50 38 50 36 60
44 Hawaii 47 44 56 55 20 60
44 South Dakota 47 46 40 60 48 40
44 Utah 47 48 46 50 36 55
48 Oklahoma 46 34 44 68 36 50
49 Louisiana 43 44 40 28 36 65
49 Wyoming 43 34 48 80 28 23
51 Mississippi 37 30 36 30 36 55
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Overall:

Transparency:

Duty-to-report laws:

Board composition:

Criminal acts:

Discipline laws: