Health, performance and conduct concerns among older doctors: A retrospective cohort study of notifications received by medical regulators in Australia:

ObjectivesTo determine whether ‘older doctors’ (aged over 65) are at higher risk of notifications to the medical regulator than ‘younger doctors’ (aged 36–60 years) regarding their health, performance and/or conduct.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingNational dataset of 12,878 notifications lodged with medical regulators in Australia between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2014.ParticipantsAll registered doctors in Australia aged 36–60 and >65 years during the study period.Main outcome measuresIncidence rates of notifications and incidence rate ratios of notifications (older versus younger doctors).ResultsOlder doctors had higher notification rates (90.9 compared with 66.6 per 1000 practitioner years, p < 0.001). Sex-adjusted incidence rate ratios showed that older doctors had a higher risk of notifications relating to physical illness or cognitive decline (incidence rate ratio = 15.54), inadequate record keeping (incidence rate ratio = 1.98), unlawful use or supply of medications (incidence rate rati...