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State medical board cites low CME compliance, refers registration requirement to rules committee
Summary
The State Board of Medical Licensure heard an executive director’s report showing licensing and complaint counts and a continuing problem with continuing medical education compliance; the board voted to send recommended regulatory language requiring a CME reporting/audit service to the rules and regulations committee.
The State Board of Medical Licensure heard an executive director’s report May 22 showing recent licensing activity, complaint caseloads and a problematic result from a Continuing Medical Education (CME) audit, then voted to refer proposed regulatory language requiring use of a CME reporting/audit service to the rules and regulations committee.
Executive Director Ken Cleveland told the board that between March and April the board issued about 140 MD/DO licenses (a seasonal rise over an earlier 72) and licensed roughly 90 physicians through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. He said investigations opened and closed during the period, and that staff closed 29 cases while receiving 95 new complaints in March–April. Cleveland said his office had begun random CME audits and that an outside firm’s review found only 44 percent of licensees in compliance with CME requirements as stated by regulation.
The audit results prompted Cleveland to recommend that the board require licensees to register with a recognized CME reporting or audit vendor (he cited CE Broker and ACCME as examples) so the board could perform consistent audits when renewals are due. “It’s going to be my recommendation to the board … that we require the use of a CME audit company to do our CMEs moving forward,” Cleveland told members.
Board members debated the scope of any change and whether the committee should receive background and vendor comparisons rather than immediate regulatory text. Consumer member Shoba Games and several board physicians urged that the rules-and-regs committee review cost, implementation and whether to specify a single vendor. The board ultimately voted to refer the matter to the rules and regulations committee for drafting and recommendation; the motion to refer carried.
Cleveland used his report to flag personnel updates and other items: licensing supervisor Brian Nelson was promoted to help the licensing director; staff attended the Federation of State Medical Boards meeting; and long-time contractor Mike Lucius announced retirement effective June 30. He reminded the board that renewal season runs through June 30 and that about half of licensees had renewed at the time of his report.
The board did not adopt a final regulatory change at the meeting. The committee referral means members will receive recommended regulatory language and cost/implementation analysis before any final vote or filing with the state’s regulatory review office.
