It's on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly.
— Claude Monet
THE FUTURE ADVANCEMENT OF MEDICAL REGULATION depends on the commitment by state medical boards to evaluate and reflect on current policies and regulations to determine if they are meeting goals and objectives. A continuous improvement mind set in regulation is essential for state medical boards to protect the public. In the article “Learning from Leading Peers: An Interview Study with Seven SMB's that Recently Implemented Policies to Protect Patients,” (page 18) Tristan McIntosh and co-authors present a starting point for making internal policy changes to enhance public protection. The authors identify important lessons learned from state medical boards that successfully implemented innovative policies leading to more effective patient protection.
It is important that the public has confidence that state medical boards are accountable and transparent in their disciplinary decisions. In the manuscript “The SMBO Quality Assurance Program: Doing the Right Thing. A Second Look After Complaint Closure,” (page 41) James O’Neal and colleagues review the State Medical Board of Ohio's Quality Assurance Program. This initiative audits closed complaints, assesses internal processes, facilitates staff training, and identifies inefficiencies. There was a significant focus on sexual misconduct complaints and resolution. A quality assurance program by state medical boards provides reassurance and transparency to the public on patient protection.
Assessment is necessary for a certifying board to ensure individuals maintain their knowledge and clinical skills in their specialty. In the article “Best Practices for Longitudinal Assessment in Continuing Certification: Consensus-Based Guidelines from the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Member Boards,” (page 31) Sarah Schnabel and co-authors review the significance of longitudinal assessments. The authors discuss basic standards for longitudinal assessment program design, scoring, reporting, and assessment security.
