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Board reviews enforcement backlog: average field investigations 247 days old
Summary
Enforcement staff told the board there were 174 complaints in the quarter (189 including convictions), 471 complaints pending at the desk analyst and 81 pending at the field level with an average field-investigation age of 247 days; board members linked aging to vacancies and higher complaint visibility.
Enforcement staff presented quarterly complaint and discipline data to the California Physician Assistant Board on May 18, saying the board received 174 complaints during the quarter (15 convictions/arrests reported as related matters, for a total of 189). Intake average was eight days and no complaints were pending at intake; 30 complaints were referred to investigation, 147 were closed, and 471 complaints were pending at the desk analyst. At the field-investigation level 81 complaints were pending, with the average age of pending investigations at 247 days and 42 cases over eight months old.
"The average age of pending investigations are 247 days," the enforcement presenter said, noting that many field investigations proceed after a medical consultant recommends field work and that some cases require sworn peace officers or specialized investigators.
Board members expressed concern that staffing vacancies and duplicated complaint submissions could be contributing to increased aging and volume. Board President Vasco Deon Kidd and others asked whether the aging is primarily a staffing effect; staff said vacancies contribute and that improved outreach may produce more complaints as consumer awareness grows, but that the percentage of licensees facing formal discipline remains small relative to the size of the profession.
Disciplinary outcomes described for the same quarter included four interim suspension orders, one Penal Code section 23 order, 11 cases transmitted to the Attorney General (38 cases pending at the AG with an average 232-day age), nine accusations filed, two probations, one license revocation, two surrenders, and citation activity totaling $3,750 assessed and $1,000 collected.
Why it matters: investigation aging and backlog affect the board’s ability to resolve consumer complaints in a timely way and relate to resource planning and possible enforcement process changes. Board members asked staff to continue reporting on how vacancies and referral practices affect aging metrics and to estimate corrective staffing needs if the backlog grows.
The board did not take immediate action to change enforcement policy at the meeting but discussed monitoring the trends and the interplay between outreach, complaint volume, and staffing levels.
