Sadly, there are no guarantees in the medical field. Medical malpractice statistics confirm that there are far too many mistakes in hospitals, doctor's offices, and operating rooms. If you want to avoid being a victim, you must do as much research as possible before agreeing to risky treatment from an unknown doctor. Surprisingly, medical doctors do much of their own reporting; making their own websites less than objective. In addition, if a medical malpractice doctor compiles a poor record in one state, they may easily pull up stakes and move to another state, get a new license, and begin with a clean slate. So state medical boards are a good place to start. Interview any doctor before you commit to using them. If you can talk to one of their long-term patients, you may get a better history than any "official" report would provide. Finally, if you're facing risky treatment, get at least one additional opinion, maybe more.