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Lisa A. Robin (FSMB) <LRobin@fsmb.org>

Tuesday, February 10, 2015 2:42 PM
Lisa A. Robin (FSMB)
Patricia McCarty (FSMB); Shiri A. Hickman
Revised policies for review

Dear Board Chairs/Presidents and Executive Directors,

The FSMB policy documents, Essentials of a State Medical and Osteopathic Act and Elements of a State Medical and
Osteopathic Board, are revised every three (3) years to ensure they remain current and aligned with other FSMB public
policy documents. Accordingly, the next (14th) editions of the documents will be presented to the House of Delegates at
the FSMB Annual Meeting in April. Over the past six (6) months, the Advisory Council of Board Executives has reviewed
and recommended revisions to the documents. Members of the Advisory Council include Kevin Bohnenblust, JD, CMBE;
Margaret Hansen, PA-C, CMBE; Lyle Kelsey, MBA, CMBE; Kimberly Kirchmeyer, Robert Knittle MS; Kathleen Selzler
Lippert, JD, CMBE, Mari Robinson, JD; and, Jacqueline Watson, DO, MBA.
We invite you to review the proposed revisions as highlighted in strikeout and underline and provide any comments by
March 13, 2015. The proposed policy documents will be discussed before the reference committee on Friday, April 24,
at 8:00 a.m. during the FSMB Annual Meeting. You may access the draft documents at

https://www.fsmb.org/Media/Default/PDF/Elements_of_a_State_Medical_and_Osteopathic_Board_for_
comment.pdf
https://www.fsmb.org/Media/Default/PDF/Essentials_of_a_State_Medical_and_Osteopathic_Board_for
_comment.pdf

Proposed revisions to the Essentials include:

Amend Section II.A to include where the patient is located in the definition of the Practice of
Medicine;
Amend Section II.B to except team physicians from the application of the medical practice act in
accordance with the recommendations in the policy, Innovations in State Based Licensure (HoD 2014);
Revise Examinations (IV) to reflect current practices and procedures;
Specify approved graduate medical education be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate
Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) (IV.D);
Specify approved licensing examinations as USMLE, COMLEX-USA or their predecessor examinations
(V.E);
Amend Section VII.D to reflect the recommendation contained in the policy, Innovations in State Based
Licensure (HoD 2014);
Expand the list of laboratory bodily fluid examinations that the board may require to evaluate chemical
dependency to include the examination of tissues, hair, or nails (IX.C);
Delete Section X.B regarding the separation of a Boards investigative and judicial functions;
Amend Sections XI.B and XII.D to authorize the Board to place conditions on" a license as a disciplinary
option related to impaired , dyscompetent or incompetent physicians;
Expand the list of those required to report possible violations of the medical practice act (XIII.B); and
Revise Section XII regarding the regulation of physician assistants to bring current with current practice.

The Advisory Council has recommended revision of the Elements to provide greater flexibility while maintaining key
elements of board structure and administration. Proposed revisions include:
1

Amends Section II to define Telemedicine as contained in the policy, Model Policy for the Use of
Telemedicine Technologies in Medical Practice (HoD 2014);.
Amends the qualifications for public members (III.D.2b);
Expands the number of consecutive terms a board member may serve from two to three (III.D.3);
Deletes coordinate Board activities as a duty of Board officers (III.E);
Provides greater flexibility as regards board committees, frequency of committee meetings and the use
of teleconferences (III.G);
Deletes language regarding the bonding of staff members charged with the handling of funds (III.I); and
Expands the duties and authority of the board to impose "conditions" on the medical license (III.K and
L).

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,
Lisa
Lisa Robin
Chief Advocacy Officer
Federation of State Medical Boards
1300 Connecticut Avenue NW | Suite 500 | Washington, DC 20036
202-463-4006 direct |
lrobin@fsmb.org

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