Iowa
Iowa Board 2017 Annual Report Summarizes Activities
The Iowa Board of Medicine has released its 2017 Annual Report of its licensure and regulatory activities, highlighting a wide range of statistics.
During 2017 the Board administered active licenses for 12,417 physicians and 68 licensed acupuncturists. It administered 59 medical licenses to physicians who were qualified to use the new expedited licensure process established by the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.
As a disciplinary agency, it received 661 complaints and mandatory reports and completed reviews or investigations of 663 case files during the year. The Board took 47 public disciplinary actions and voted to issue 76 confidential letters of concerns about licensees' conduct or practice. It also filed charges against 21 physicians and issued three public consent agreements as a condition for medical licensure.
During the course of 2017, the Board initiated action to amend five administrative rules and completed a five-year review of its 20 chapters of administrative rules.
Source: Iowa Board of Medicine news release, April 6, 2018
Maine
New Board Regulations in Maine Impact Status of Non-Practicing Physicians, CME, Processing of Death Certificates
The Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine recently announced new regulations impacting physician licensing and information processing. Among changes enacted in recent months:
Changes Related to Non-Clinical Practice
In order to maintain an active license, an applicant for a Maine medical license must have practiced clinical medicine within the past two years immediately preceding the application.
If an applicant has not practiced clinical medicine during the two years immediately preceding the application, he or she is no longer eligible for an active license.
In such circumstances, the applicant has the following options: renew in “inactive” status; request conversion to an Emeritus License; or demonstrate current clinical competence.
Physicians who are not actively practicing medicine may obtain an Emeritus License at no fee. In order to be eligible for an Emeritus License, physicians must have a currently active or inactive Maine License. Licensees may submit an application for conversion to an Emeritus License at any time.
Changes to CME for Physicians
As of January 2, 2018, applicants for renewal of licensure must obtain 40 Category 1 hours of continuing medical education (CME) every two years. This removes the previous CME requirement of Category 2 hours.
New Law Affecting Death Certificate Certification
The Maine Legislature has passed a bill which will require that death certificates are completed and filed using Maine's Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS). After July 1, 2018, paper records will no longer be accepted.
Source: Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine Newsletter, Fall 2017
North Carolina
North Carolina Medical Board 2017 Annual Report Highlights Activities
The North Carolina Medical Board recently released licensing, regulatory and demographic highlights in its 2017 Annual Report.
According to the report, the Board's largest licensee population is physicians with MD (allopathic) degrees — a total of 35,898 physicians. This is followed by 6,900 physician assistants, 2,972 resident training licensees (RTLs), 2,272 physicians with DO (osteopathic) degrees, 155 licensed perfusionists (LPs) and 41 anesthesiology assistants (AAs).
Of its total physician population, 25,771 are male and 12,399 are female.
The Board issued 2,301 licenses to MDs in 2017, followed by 1,066 licenses to RTLs, 752 to PAs, 284 to DOs, 16 to LPs and 5 to AAs.
THE BOARD RECEIVED 1,345 COMPLAINTS FROM PATIENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS OF PATIENTS AND OTHERS IN 2017, INCLUDING COMPLAINTS FROM PHYSICIANS AND OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS...
In terms of disciplinary activity, the Board opened 2,372 new cases in 2017, and closed 2,391 cases. The average number of days taken to close a case was 95. Of its disciplinary activities, 320 included the issuance of private letters, 143 included adverse public actions and 25 included non-adverse public actions. It suspended 19 licenses in 2017 and revoked five licenses. Ten licenses were surrendered.
The Board received 1,345 complaints from patients, family members of patients and others in 2017, including complaints from physicians and other medical professionals, such as pharmacists. The largest number of complaints fell within the category of quality of care received, followed by: communications issues, 423; action by an out-of-state regulator or agency, 362; prescribing issues, 180; and medical records issues or privacy/confidentiality violations, 118.
The Board logged 52 alcohol or substance abuse-related complaints in 2017, followed by 40 misdemeanor or felony arrests/convictions and 35 professional sexual misconduct or boundary issues.
Of the complaints that resulted in action, the most common category was quality-of-care issues, with 59 actions; followed by prescribing issues, with 39 actions; and alcohol/substance abuse issues, with 34 actions.
Source: North Carolina Medical Board 2017 Annual Report
Ohio
Opioid Prescribing is Down Again in Ohio; PDMP Use and Other Efforts Cited
Thanks to intensified efforts addressing opioid prescribing abuse in Ohio, opioid prescribing in the state declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2017, according to the State Medical Board of Ohio.
Between 2012 and 2017, the total number of opioids dispensed to Ohio patients decreased by 225 million doses, or 28.4%, according to the Board. There has also been an 88% decrease in the reported incidence of “doctor shopping” — the attempt to illegally obtain opioids from multiple physicians — since 2012.
The Board reports that the use of the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS) continues to increase significantly, with more than 88 million patient reports requested last year and a total increase in requests of 4,900% since 2011. OARRS is a tool to track the dispensing and personal furnishing of controlled prescription drugs to patients, allowing the monitoring of such information for suspected abuse or diversion of opioids.
BETWEEN 2012 AND 2017, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OPIOIDS DISPENSED TO OHIO PATIENTS DECREASED BY 225 MILLION DOSES, OR 28.4%, ACCORDING TO THE BOARD.
The Board reported that Ohio has been recognized by the American Medical Association for having the highest number of prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) queries of any state in the nation.
Source: State Medical Board of Ohio News, March 2018
Ohio MDs, DOs May Now Apply for Certificate to Recommend Medical Marijuana
The State Medical Board of Ohio is now accepting applications for a Certificate to Recommend (CTR) medical marijuana under the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program. Physicians with a full, unrestricted Ohio license are eligible to apply. Requirements include completion of an approved, two-hour Continuing Medical Education course on the subject. There is no fee for a CTR.
Applications for CTRs will be presented to the State Medical Board of Ohio for approval. The first round of CTR approvals is anticipated in April 2018.
The Board notes that although CTR applications are being processed, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program is not fully operational. The program is anticipated to be fully in place by September 2018. Medical marijuana dispensaries, where patients will be able to purchase medical marijuana, are expected to be operational by September 2018.
For more information, visit www.medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov.
Source: State Medical Board of Ohio News, March 2018
Washington
Mindfulness Tele-Training for Health Professionals Launched in Washington
The Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP) has announced an expansion of Washington's Mindfulness for Health Professionals (MHP) training program, which will now include an online video teleconference-technology version of the program for greater convenience of health practitioners in the state.
In 2014, the WPHP partnered with Mindfulness Northwest to help address the growing problem of burnout in the health professions, launching the original version of the MHP training program. The program offered a variety of tools to enhance physical and mental wellness for health practitioners working in stressful environments.
Through this five-week series of in-person workshops, according to WPHP, health professionals and their spouses across Washington experienced a 10% increase in mindfulness, 20% reduction in perceived stress, and substantial improvements in burnout factors (including 11% reduction in emotional exhaustion, 14% less depersonalization and 7.8% more efficacy).
While feedback about the program was excellent, registrations were impacted by time and travel constraints that made it difficult for some practitioners to participate.
In response, the new online program has been developed, retaining all the benefits of MHP, including the opportunity to interact and learn from peers. Additionally, the program will now offer 14 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
“We hope that the added incentive of Continuing Medical Education credit, combined with the convenience of group participation from work or home, will increase the opportunity for physicians from across the state to participate in this highly effective program,” said Chris Bundy, MD, MPH, WPHP Executive Medical Director.
According to Dr. Bundy, extensive research has shown that mindfulness training, and the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction curriculum on which MHP is based, can have significant positive impacts on participants' job satisfaction; relationships with their patients, co-workers and administration; and on their focus and creativity at work.
The first offering of the new tele-training course will begin in June 2018. Five meetings are scheduled, including four two-and-a-half-hour class sessions and one extended six-hour session. Course fee will be $365. The fee includes all five meetings, CME, a downloadable manual and guided meditation audio tracks.
To learn more, please visit www.mindfulnessnorthwest.com/MHPOnline, or call Phone: 360-830-6439.
Source: Washington Medical Quality Assurance Commission Update, Spring 2018
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