Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Licensing And Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board staff reports growth in compact licensing, fewer open investigations
Summary
Executive Director Ken Cleveland reported a rise in compact licenses and more overall licensees; investigations are low by recent standards and the board’s proposed updates to the Medical Practice Act did not clear the second-house committee this session.
At the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure meeting in March 2025, Executive Director Ken Cleveland reported continued growth in licensees—driven largely by the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact—and lower-than-usual open-investigation caseloads.
Cleveland told members the board licensed 72 additional MDs and DOs in January and February and added 23 new physician assistants. He said that through the IMLC the board issued 1,100 compact licenses over the past year—more than the 654 licenses issued through traditional pathways during the same period—and that the compact’s expansion (Arkansas added; California and New York under consideration) is increasing compact licensing activity.
On investigations, Cleveland said the office received 23 new complaints and closed 29 cases in the prior two months; the board currently has 44 open cases, a low number relative to the past seven years. He said the office is increasing its closed-case percentage and now resolves about 68% of closed matters within seven days.
Cleveland also briefed the board on the legislative session. He said the board’s updated Medical Practice Act advanced further than in past years but “ended up dying in the second house committee” after being double-referred on the House side. He said staff will carry momentum into next year and reintroduce an updated act.
Members asked how compact licensing fees flow to the state. Cleveland explained that applicants pay the IMLC commission, which deducts its administrative fee and remits the board’s full application or renewal fee; he said the state’s total licensee count has risen from a little over 9,000 to about 15,000 since he took the job. Cleveland also described his national roles: vice chair of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission and a seat on the Federation of State Medical Boards’ board of directors, and he said collaborative investigations with nursing and pharmacy boards have enabled multi-board inquiries into clinics such as IV-hydration and weight-loss operations.
No formal board vote was required for the report, but members discussed the trends, asked clarifying questions, and thanked Cleveland for the update.
