Executive officer tells IEC board motion limits requiring patient care or narcotics access for program completion

Loretta Melby, executive officer for the Intervention Evaluation Committee, told members on Aug. 26 that the board’s motion from the prior year suspended a blanket requirement that intervention‑program participants be required to work in direct patient care or to pass narcotics as a condition of program completion unless there is additional evidence of a patient‑safety risk.

Melby said the change responds to public concerns and inconsistent messaging from a prior vendor, and that the committee must document evidence whenever it recommends imposing or removing those requirements. “The motion that was put forward by our board in August said to suspend the imposition of the requirement that participants work in direct patient care unless there is an additional evidence of patient safety issues,” Melby said.

The explanation came during an information item on program participation and completion requirements. Melby told the Intervention Evaluation Committee (IEC) that since the board motion took effect the executive office…