Tag: reckless operation

Medical practice in Ohio, Uncategorized

Happy New Year! Don’t drink and Drive tonight

Happy New Year.

A quick public service announcement to all physicians licensed in Ohio. As you go out to celebrate the New Year tonight, do not drink and drive! It’s unsafe for you and others and may also have devastating consequences on your professional license.

If you are charged with an alcohol related offense, OVI, disorderly conduct, reckless operation (just to name a few), the Medical Board has the authority to take a disciplinary action against your professional license.

Yes. Keep in mind. The Medical Board is concerned about your behavior and conduct 24/7. Even if you are not scheduled to work tomorrow, or this weekend, if you are charged and convicted with an alcohol related offense, the Medical Board can take a disciplinary action against you.

Depending on the facts and circumstances, the Medical Board has the authority to order you to a 72 hour chemical dependency evaluation at a Board approved treatment center. Then, depending on the results of the assessment, you could be ordered to complete 28 days of RESIDENTIAL treatment. Your license would be suspended for an indefinite period of time (at least 30 days) and you would be required to enter into a five year monitoring agreement with the Medical Board once your license is reinstated.  If licensed in other states  you would need to disclose the Medical Board action.  This would be considered a public disciplinary action and would be noted on the Medical Board website indefinitely.

In the past, I have always encouraged physicians to appoint a designated driver if they plan to consume alcohol. But, too often, the “designated driver” leaves the party early or consumes alcohol themselves!  Before you go out tonight, schedule a taxi to pick you up or download the Uber app on your phone. I recently used the Uber app and caught a ride to the airport at 7am. I couldn’t believe the ease of using this app.

Even if you are just going to a low key party at a friend’s house “down the street”, don’t risk your professional livelihood. Order a driver, taxi or Uber BEFORE you leave the house tonight.

Have fun. Be safe and Happy New Year.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or about the State Medical Board of Ohio in general, please contact me at beth@collislaw.com or at my office at 614-486-3909.

 

State Medical Board of Ohio

Time to renew your Ohio Medical license – not something that should be delegated!

Depending on the first initial of your last name, it might be time to renew your Ohio medical license. This can be done on-line by going to the Medical Board’s website http://www.med.ohio.gov/.  If it is your renewal time, you should have been sent instructions from the Medical Board with your login information to complete your renewal application on-line. Or, you may request that the Board send you a paper renewal form to complete and return to the Board. Whether you choose to renew online or to complete the paper renewal form it is important that you take a few quiet minutes to yourself to complete the form on your own!

Often, physicians think they are too busy to take the time to personally complete the renewal form. I am often told by physicians that they allow the “girl” (their assistant) to complete the renewal forms for them. This is a mistake.  Does your assistant know that you were arrested in college for disorderly conduct or an open container violation?  Does your assistant know of the reckless operation of a vehicle charge that you plead guilty to on the way home from your sister’s wedding? Probably not.

However, by signing the renewal application you are certifying to the Medical Board that all information contained in the application is correct and complete. The Medical Board reviews all original applications for licensure and renewal applications very seriously and will take a disciplinary action against a licensee who fails to provide the Board with correct and complete information.

It is important to read all the questions on the renewal application carefully and to provide the Medical Board with clear, complete, honest and correct answers to their questions. If you do not understand a question, you may call the Medical Board staff and ask  – however, the staff is unable to give legal advice.

If you provide the Medical Board with an incorrect or incomplete answer or if you omit information called for in a question, the Board may take a disciplinary action against you based on a violation of Ohio Revised Code 4731.22(B)(5), “for providing false, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading statement … to obtain certification of registration from the Board.”

The Medical Board’s disciplinary guidelines permit the Board to impose a minimum sanction of an indefinite suspension (minimum one year) to a maximum penalty of permanent license revocation if a licensee provides, false information to obtain anything of value.  http://med.ohio.gov/pdf/meddis.pdf

When completing an initial application or submitting your renewal application to the Medical Board, complete the form yourself and take the time to answer all the questions with complete, clear, concise and correct answers.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or another question involving the State Medical Board of Ohio, feel free to email me at Beth@collislaw.com or call me at 614-486-3909.