Download Medical Practice Acts and State Boards

Medical Practice Acts and State
Boards
Lesson 2:1
Medical Practice Acts
• Define what is meant by ‘practice medicine’ in
each state.
• Explain requirements and methods for
licensure.
• Provide for the establishment of medical
licensing boards.
• Establish grounds for suspension or revocation
of license.
• Give conditions for license renewal.
Medical practice acts
Were first passed in colonial times, but were
repealed in the 1800s, when citizens decided
that the US Constitution gave anyone the right
to practice medicine. Quackery became
rampant, and for the protection of the public,
medical practice acts were reenacted.
• Each state’s medical practice acts also
mandate the establishment of medical boards.
• Medical boards purpose is to protect the
health, safety, and welfare of health care
consumers through proper licensing and
regulation of physicians and, in some
jurisdictions, other HCP.
• Through licensing, each state medical board
ensure that all health care practitioners who
work in areas for which licensing is required
have adequate and appropriate education and
training and that they follow high standards of
professional conduct while caring for patients.
Applicants for a license must generally:
• Provide proof of education and training.
• Provide details about work history.
• Pass an examination designed to assess their
knowledge and their ability to apply that
knowledge and other concepts and principles
important to ensure safe and effective patient
care.
• Reveal info. About past medical history (including
alcohol and/or drug abuse), arrests, and
convictions.
Each state’s medical practice acts also define
unprofessional conduct for medical
professionals. Laws vary from state to state.
Examples of unprofessional conduct
include:
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Physical abuse of patient.
Inadequate record keeping.
Failure to recognize or act on common symptoms.
The prescription of drugs in excessive amounts or without
legitimate reason.
Impaired ability to practice due to addiction or physical or mental
illness.
Failure to meet continuing education requirements.
The performance of duties beyond the scope of a license.
Dishonesty
Conviction of a felony.
The delegation of the practice of medicine to an unlicensed
individual.
A minor disagreement and poor customer
service do not fall under the heading of
misconduct.
Tonight’s Homework
• Answer questions from your packet on page
31. (Yes, write out the question.)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx98QrlaJA
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_DqNAL
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