Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act

The Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act is a state law in the U.S. state of Colorado, initially enacted in 2007 with an extension passed in 2010. The act mandates the disclosure of specific information by healthcare providers to the public. These disclosures includes a physician's malpractice history, disciplinary actions, and educational background, thereby allowing patients to make informed decisions regarding their choice of healthcare provider.

Background
The legislation is named in memory of Michael Skolnik, a 22-year-old nursing student who endured fatal complications from a surgical procedure performed by Dr. David Wayne Miller, a neurosurgeon who had previous medical malpractice history. Skolnik's parents asserted that the surgery, to remove a brain cyst, was medically unnecessary, and that they would have chosen a different doctor had they been aware of the neurosurgeon's history. The initial 2007 act solely targeted physicians, requiring them to complete online profiles to provide consumers in Colorado with relevant information about their medical practitioners.

Expansion
The scope of the act was broadened in 2010 when the Colorado legislature passed the Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act of 2010. This expansion expanding the profiling requirement beyond physicians to 22 additional licensure categories.