PROFESSIONCalifornia medical board could be facing real changesA report recommends teaming investigators and prosecutors early in cases against doctors. Physicians may pay more in fees to fund the work.By Damon Adams, amednews staff. Feb. 14, 2005. Physicians in California are bracing for a possible increase in medical license fees -- the first hike in 11 years -- to help fund improvements to the Medical Board of California. But another possibility is that the state may abolish the board under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to eliminate many state boards. A state-mandated review of the medical board determined it takes too long to resolve complaints against physicians, and its program to monitor doctors with alcohol and abuse problems is flawed and understaffed. The report recommends the board raise the license fee that physicians pay every two years from $600 to $800, which would allow the board to restore about 45 positions it lost to budget cuts from 2001 to 2003. "Medical boards have to be sufficiently funded because enforcement is very expensive. What we found was a combination of problems, some within the board's control, some outside of the board's control," said Julianne D'Angelo Fellmeth, an independent monitor who issued the report. Fellmeth presented her findings to a state legislative committee on Jan. 25. She said the board takes an average of about 2½ years to investigate and resolve a serious complaint against a physician. It inadequately oversees a diversion program for physicians who are alcohol and drug abusers. The investigation process suffers from lack of coordination and teamwork between investigators and state prosecutors. Recommendations from Fellmeth's report, released in November 2004, include raising the license fee, having prosecutors and investigators team up when an investigation begins, and reevaluating whether the physician diversion program is protective of the public. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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