News in brief - July 24/31, 2006

Fla. physicians get new requirements - WellPoint gives $200,000 to support minority medical students

Fla. physicians get new requirements

New laws that took effect in Florida July 1 change continuing education requirements for licensure and renewal, require health care practitioners to identify their credentials to patients and limit the number of satellite offices a doctor can supervise.

For example, health care licensees, including physicians, must provide notice to patients of what type of license they have. A name tag or oral notice to a patient meets the requirement. Advertisements must identify the type of license a practitioner holds.

Continuing education requirements also changed. Among the changes, HIV/AIDS and domestic violence education is no longer required for initial licensure. But one hour of HIV/AIDS education must be completed before the first license renewal. Domestic violence education is now a two-hour requirement every third renewal.

Supervisory relationships with physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners in medical office settings have new requirements. For example, a physician may supervise a PA and ARNP offering primary health care services at no more than four satellite offices, in addition to the primary place of practice.

WellPoint gives $200,000 to support minority medical students

WellPoint Foundation, the charitable arm of health insurer WellPoint Inc., awarded a $200,000 grant to support the National Medical Fellowships' need-based scholarship program for minority medical students attending medical school anywhere in the United States.

Stephen Keith, MD, MSPH, National Medical Fellowships' interim president, said, "This contribution will benefit a great many underrepresented minority medical students and facilitate their success in achieving their dream of becoming a physician. Increasing the number of minority physicians helps to reduce disparities in health and health care in minority communities."

Over the past 60 years, the group has provided more than $39 million in scholarships and other awards to more than 24,000 minority medical students.