Opinion ID: 1472535
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of Misrepresentation of Board Certification

Text: For her second point for reversal, Jackson argues that the trial court erred in refusing to allow her to present evidence of Dr. Buchman's listing in a Healthsource HMO Directory, which showed that he was a board-certified physician. The directory noted board-certified physicians with an asterisk by their names. In the 1994 directory, Dr. Buchman's name appeared without an asterisk, but in the 1995 directory, an asterisk was beside his name. Jackson argues that such evidence demonstrates that Dr. Buchman clearly misrepresented his credentials to the HMO and the public. We disagree. During the proffer, Dr. Buchman stated that he did not know why he was shown as being board certified in the 1995 directory, but he suspected that it must have been a clerical error. Dr. Buchman also testified that if Healthsource had sent him a new application form for the 1995 directory, his office would have completed the form. Based on this testimony, Jackson asserts that Dr. Buchman misrepresented his credentials on the application so that he could be listed as board certified in the directory. The trial court disagreed, finding that there was no proof that Dr. Buchman had anything to do with the publication or distribution of the directory or that he had provided them with fraudulent or inappropriate information. We cannot say that the trial court manifestly abused its discretion in refusing to admit the evidence, given the scant, if any, probative value and the obvious prejudicial effect. See Lovell, 336 Ark. 551, 987 S.W.2d 660; Grummer, 336 Ark. 447, 986 S.W.2d 91. We thus affirm the judgment of the trial court. THORNTON, J., dissents.