Georgia · Composite Medical Board
Georgia Composite Medical Board Complaints: What Every Physician Should Know
Learning that a complaint has been filed against your Georgia medical license is unsettling, and the first notice rarely explains where it leads. A single complaint from a patient, a colleague or a hospital is enough to open an inquiry. Understanding who the Georgia Composite Medical Board is, how it handles complaints, and how most cases actually resolve replaces much of that uncertainty with a clear picture of the road ahead.
Who the Georgia Composite Medical Board is
Physicians in Georgia are licensed and disciplined by the Georgia Composite Medical Board (GCMB), often called simply the Georgia Medical Board. It is a single board for both medical doctors (MDs) and doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs), and it is “composite” because the General Assembly also charges it with regulating physician assistants, respiratory care professionals, acupuncturists, perfusionists and several other professions.
The Board's authority comes from the Georgia Medical Practice Act, at O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapters 34 and 34A, with disciplinary grounds set out in Section 43-34-8 and the general licensing statute at Section 43-1-19. Its mission is to protect the public — it acts for the people of Georgia rather than to resolve a private dispute between a patient and a physician.
Who can file a complaint
A complaint can come from almost any source — a patient, another physician, an employer, a hospital or an insurance company — and the Board also reviews malpractice data and hospital reports. There is no statutory time limit on when a complaint may be filed, although the Board notes that older matters can be harder to investigate as evidence fades.
The Board prefers signed, dated complaints. Because a physician has the right to face an accuser if a matter proceeds to a hearing, the Board generally does not accept anonymous complaints — with two exceptions: where the physician appears to be an immediate danger to the public, and where the complaint involves the death of a patient, and even then only if there is enough evidence to proceed without the complainant's identity.
The confidentiality rule
Georgia keeps its investigations tightly confidential. Under O.C.G.A. Sections 43-1-19(h)(2) and 43-34-37, the results of Board investigations are reported solely to the Board, and the investigative records are not released except to the Board. All records obtained during an investigation — medical records, staff reports, investigative reports — are confidential and not available to the public unless the matter proceeds to a formal hearing.
In practice this means a complaint that closes with no action, or resolves privately, stays out of the public record. Only when a matter reaches a public board order — a Notice of Charges, a public consent order, or an administrative law judge's decision — does its substance become public. That confidentiality protects both patients and physicians during the process.
What counts as unprofessional conduct
The grounds for discipline appear in Section 43-34-8 and are expanded in the Board's rules at Chapter 360-3. Examples of unprofessional conduct include physical abuse of a patient, inadequate record keeping, failing to recognize or act on common symptoms, prescribing drugs in excessive amounts or without a legitimate reason, personal impairment that hinders safe practice, practicing beyond the scope of a license, and dishonesty.
For physicians, the recurring themes are prescribing and controlled-substance issues — where the Board routinely reviews Georgia's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program data — standard-of-care and competence questions, recordkeeping problems, boundary violations, and continuing-education deficiencies. A complaint that does not describe conduct within the Act is closed at an early stage.
How complaints are resolved
Georgia complaints are typically resolved in one of three ways. In many cases there is no formal action, because no violation of the Medical Practice Act is found; the provider is notified and the information is kept on file. Where the Board is concerned but public action is not warranted, it may take private action — a confidential letter of concern or a private interview. Where a violation is confirmed, it may take public action, from a public letter of concern and practice conditions to fines, probation, suspension or revocation.
One point reassures many physicians: in most cases you can continue practicing while an investigation is pending, and the Board cannot stop you unless and until it issues a formal order or you agree to one. The narrow exception is a summary suspension, reserved for cases of imminent danger to the public — which is covered in the companion guides in this series.
Key takeaways
- Georgia physicians are regulated by the Georgia Composite Medical Board (a single board for MDs and DOs, plus PAs and others) under the Medical Practice Act, O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapters 34 and 34A.
- Complaints can come from any source; the Board prefers signed complaints and accepts anonymous ones only where there is immediate danger or a patient death.
- Investigations are confidential under O.C.G.A. §§ 43-1-19(h)(2) and 43-34-37 — nonpublic unless the matter reaches a public board order or hearing.
- Grounds for discipline are in Section 43-34-8 and Rule 360-3; prescribing (with PDMP review), standard of care, recordkeeping and impairment are common themes.
- Cases resolve as no action, private action (a confidential letter of concern), or public action — and you can usually keep practicing during an investigation unless summarily suspended.
Related courses
Practical, self-paced courses that map onto the issues in this guide. These are educational courses, not accredited by any Georgia board and not a substitute for legal advice.
How to respond to a board complaint or investigation calmly, constructively and on the record.
View course →Core ethical principles and standards that underpin safe medical practice.
View course →Professional conduct, competence and standards expected of licensed physicians.
View course →Record-keeping standards and how strong documentation protects you in a board matter.
View course →Continue reading: Georgia doctors
Inside a Georgia Composite Medical Board investigation: from notice to outcomeHow to respond to a Georgia Composite Medical Board complaintFrequently asked questions
Can a single complaint put my Georgia medical license at risk?
Who regulates doctors in Georgia?
Can someone file an anonymous complaint against me?
Will the complaint against me become public?
Can I keep practicing while I'm under investigation?
What kinds of conduct lead to physician complaints in Georgia?
This article is general information for physicians licensed in Georgia and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory processes and the law can change, and every case turns on its own facts. If you are the subject of a complaint or investigation, seek advice from a qualified professional-license attorney or your defense organization. Last updated July 7, 2026.