www.collislaw.com – Ohio Medical Board Defense Counsel Blog

Medical practice in Ohio, self prescribing, State Medical Board of Ohio, Uncategorized

Ohio Physicians considering retirement should make the decision voluntarily and prior to being compelled to retire by the State Medical Board of Ohio

Questions often arise as to when it is appropriate to retire from the practice of medicine. In many instances, physicians who are happy and healthy do not want to consider retirement. Many physicians have told me that they have devoted their entire life to their medical practice and that, because they do not have any other hobbies, skills, or interests, they desire to continue to practice medicine. Additionally, physicians have told me that they are concerned that they may not have the financial means to stop working. Finally, many physicians are concerned that they will miss the daily interaction with their staff and their patients.

The State Medical Board of Ohio (“Medical Board”) does not have a specific retirement age. A Physician with a valid license to practice medicine in Ohio may continue to do so for so as long as they are mentally and physically fit to practice and comply with Medical Board laws and rules. However, if the Medical Board has reason to believe that a physician is unfit to practice medicine, the Medical Board has the legal authority to order a physician to a medical or mental health evaluation.

Ohio Revised Code Section 4731.22(B)(19) provides:

“(B) The board, by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six members, shall, to the extent permitted by law, limit, revoke, or suspend an individual’s certificate to practice or certificate to recommend, refuse to issue a certificate to an individual, refuse to renew a certificate, refuse to reinstate a certificate, or reprimand or place on probation the holder of a certificate for one or more of the following reasons:

(19) Inability to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standards of care by reason of mental illness or physical illness, including, but not limited to, physical deterioration that adversely affects cognitive, motor, or perceptive skills.

In enforcing this division, the board, upon a showing of a possible violation, may compel any individual authorized to practice by this chapter or who has submitted an application pursuant to this chapter to submit to a mental examination, physical examination, including an HIV test, or both a mental and a physical examination. The expense of the examination is the responsibility of the individual compelled to be examined. Failure to submit to a mental or physical examination or consent to an HIV test ordered by the board constitutes an admission of the allegations against the individual unless the failure is due to circumstances beyond the individual’s control, and a default and final order may be entered without the taking of testimony or presentation of evidence.

For the purpose of this division, any individual who applies for or receives a certificate to practice under this chapter accepts the privilege of practicing in this state and, by so doing, shall be deemed to have given consent to submit to a mental or physical examination when directed to do so in writing by the board, and to have waived all objections to the admissibility of testimony or examination reports that constitute a privileged communication. (emphasis added)

If the Medical Board has reason to believe that a physician is unable to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standards of care by reason of mental illness or physical illness, a formal disciplinary action may be commenced. This action may include (but is not limited to) ordering the physician to undergo a mental and/or physical examination. Failure to submit to a mental and/or physical examination as ordered by the board constitutes an admission of the allegations against the physician, unless the failure is due to circumstances beyond the physician’s control.

On the basis of the mental and/or physical examination, the Medical Board can require the physician to submit to care, counseling, or treatment by physicians approved or designated by the Medical Board as a condition for reinstatement to practice. The physician will receive an opportunity to demonstrate to the Medical Board their ability to resume practice in compliance with acceptable and prevailing standards under the provisions of the individual’s certificate.

In order to suspend a physician’s medical license, or to recommend retirement, the Medical Board must find that the physician’s continued practice, “presents a danger of immediate and serious harm to the public.”

In the past few years, we have seen the Medical Board order certain physicians to submit to a mental and/or physical examination. Based on the result of those examinations, the Medical Board has either suspended the physician’s license or requested that they enter into a “voluntary” permanent retirement of their medical license.

As always, if you have questions about this post or the State Medical Board of Ohio in general, please feel free to contact one of the attorneys at the Collis Law Group LLC at 614-486-3909 or email me at beth@collislaw.com.

Medical practice in Ohio, State Medical Board of Ohio, Uncategorized

Failing to request a hearing can be a very costly mistake.

Today, I attended the monthly meeting of the State Medical Board of Ohio. I was surprised to see that in all six cases handled by the Board, the licensees had failed to request a hearing. Despite the fact that the Board may impose any sanction, ranging from dismissal to permanent revocation of a license, in each case where the licensee failed to request a hearing, the Board either revoked or permanently revoked their licenses.

The Board Members expressed concern that if these licensees had not requested a hearing or attended the Board meeting, these licensees were not interested in maintaining an Ohio license. Therefore, the Board revoked their licenses. By failing to request a hearing, the Board is often left with unanswered questions.

Often, professionals will tell me that do not want to request a hearing or appear before the Board because they have already submitted documentation in support of their case and they believe they have, “no other information to provide to the Board”.

Failing to request a hearing can be a very costly mistake. There is no more powerful information than the personal testimony of a license holder. Boards typically like to see that an individual understands the gravity of charges against them, that the individual accepts responsibility for their conduct, that the individual expresses remorse for their conducts, and how the individual will handle a similar situation in the future.

Often, I find that cases appear to be far more serious on paper and that once testimony is provided from the licensee and by those who support the licensee, the Board is able to have their questions answered and view the case in a much less serious light. In some instances, I have also seen that the sanction the Board imposes after a hearing is less harsh than the Board was contemplating prior to the hearing.

Failing to request a hearing can be a very costly mistake. It is recommended that a licensee request a hearing and to present testimony in your defense. If you want to retain your medical license, you need to fight for it.

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

Medical practice in Ohio, State Medical Board of Ohio, Uncategorized

Rich Doc/Poor Doc

In my practice of representing physicians who are under investigation by the State Medical Board of Ohio, DEA, local law enforcement, and/or their employer, I have seen many professionals struggle with multiple issues. Recently, I have noticed that far too many physicians are in disastrous shape financially. Many physicians have poor money management and/or business management skills that have led them to entering into risky contracts or taking on jobs that they otherwise would have not considered.

Most physicians do not have the time, training, or education to be good money managers and, therefore, generally, many make poor financial decisions. Many physicians enter the practice of medicine deeply in debt with student loans. Many residents live beyond their means in the belief that once they complete their residencies, they will be given lucrative employment contracts. Often, young physicians are so far in debt after completing their training, they are forced to accept work in undesirable practices to pay their debt.

Too often, physicians are also seen as “easy targets” for unscrupulous people. I am always surprised to learn of highly educated physicians who enter into risky business dealings or fail to perform due diligence when purchasing property or entering into a business venture.

I have seen numerous instances in which physicians who are strapped with debt make unwise decisions as to where they will work and who they choose to associate themselves with in their medical practice. Often, these physicians will seek ways to save money in their medical practice that leads to poor patient care or that is contrary to law. Last year, the State Medical Board of Ohio disciplined a number of physicians who (in an effort to save money) purchased non-FDA approved medications from outside of the United States to administer to their patients. These physicians did not realize that they were violating the law by purchasing these medications. Nevertheless, these physicians were each subjected to disciplinary action by the Board.

I have also seen physicians continue to work for high volume practices in which they are constantly pushed to order expensive tests to ensure that the practice is highly compensated. Often, these physicians tell me that they felt trapped in these jobs because the high salaries allow them to pay their debts. I have also seen physicians take “moonlighting” jobs in areas outside of their specialty in an effort to repay debt only to find themselves investigated by the Board or DEA for practicing or prescribing outside of their scope of expertise.

The best way to have choices as a physician is to live within your means and to take the time and effort to do research before joining a particular practice or entering into a particular business dealing. Physicians who are financially strapped risk making poor personal and business decisions that can lead to discipline by the Board or another agency.

A qualified accountant can be of assistance regarding your taxes. A relationship with an attorney can be of benefit when researching a particular job or business venture. A financial planner can offer guidance as to investments. Utilizing these types of individuals allows you as a physician to do what you do best…to practice medicine.

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

Medical practice in Ohio, Uncategorized

What is a Medicaid Exclusion and Is There a Way to Appeal These Decisions?

The Department of Health and Human Services has the authority to exclude certain individuals from participating in Medicare, Medicaid, and all Federal health care programs as defined by 1128B(f) of the Social Security Act.

Exclusion from participation can materially affect a professional’s scope of practice because exclusion prohibits the professional from submitting or causing claims to be submitted to any Federal health care program (such as Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE, the Military Direct Care System, etc.) for any items or services the professional provides and prevents the professional for working in any capacity for an organization that accepts Federal funding. (However, exclusion does not prevent the professional or their family members from receiving benefits to which they are entitled under a Federal program.)

There are two types of exclusion: Mandatory Exclusion is required for certain offenses (42 USC §1320a-7(a)) and Permissive Exclusion is discretionary and may be imposed for certain other offenses (42 USC §1320a-7(b)).

Generally, mandatory exclusion is required for a (i) conviction of health care program-related crimes, (ii) conviction related to patient abuse, (iii) felony conviction related to health care fraud, and (iv) felony conviction related to controlled substances.

Generally, permissive exclusion may be imposed for a number of different offenses including but not limited to (i) a misdemeanor conviction related to controlled substances, (ii) a health care license revocation or suspension, and (iii) excessive charges or unnecessary services.

In my practice, I have seen physicians and other licensed professionals (including nurses) receive a letter from the OIG proposing an exclusion from participation in Federal health care programs following a suspension of their professional license or after a misdemeanor or felony conviction or after being convicted of a drug crime.

In cases where exclusion is permissive, it is recommended to provide the OIG with a clear and detailed response as to why the exclusion should not be imposed. Under certain circumstances, the OIG may choose not to impose exclusion. In other instances, the OIG will impose exclusion for a specific time period, for example, during the time period that the professional’s license is suspended.

If you receive a notification from the OIG proposing an exclusion, experienced legal counsel can assist you to formulate and file a timely response.

As always, if you have any questions about this post, the State Medical Board of Ohio or the unintended consequences of a Medical Board disciplinary action, feel free to contact the attorneys at the Collis Law Group at 614-486-3909 or send me an email at beth@collislaw.com

State Medical Board of Ohio

Ohio Medical Board has adopted New Rules Related to Office Based Opioid Treatment

The State Medical Board of Ohio has adopted new rules related to Office Based Opioid Treatment (“OBOT”). The new news take effect January 31, 2015. The new rules require specific protocols, pretreatment examinations, and ongoing physician face-to-face examinations, testing and individualized treatment plans. A copy of the new rules can be found at: http://med.ohio.gov/pdf/rules/NewRules/4731-11-12-eff-1-31-15.pdf.

The new rules include but are not limited to:

Prior to providing OBOT, the physician must conduct an assessment of the patient that meets the requirements of the rule.
The physician must practice in accordance with one of the protocols listed in the rule, and the diagnosis of an opioid disorder must be made utilizing the criteria in the DSM, 4^th or 5^th edition.
The physician must develop an individualized treatment plan for the patient, require the patient to actively participate in appropriate behavioral counseling or treatment for addiction, and provide ongoing toxicological testing.
The physician’s prescribing of the medication must comply with requirements that include, but are not limited to, prescribing only drugs specifically approved by the FDA for use in maintenance and detoxification treatment, prescribing no more than 16 milligrams of medication daily for a patient unless specified requirements are met, and accessing OARRS for each patient no less frequently than every 90 days.
The physician must complete Category I CME related to substance abuse and addiction every two years, which will be accepted as part of the CME requirement for license renewal.

The above summary highlights certain requirements of the new rules and is not a substitute for the new rules. The new rules can be found at: http://med.ohio.gov/pdf/rules/NewRules/4731-11-12-eff-1-31-15.pdf.

As always, if you have any questions regarding this post or the State Medical Board of Ohio in general, please contact one of the attorneys at Collis, Smiles and Collis at 614-486-3909 or email Todd@collislaw.com.

State Medical Board of Ohio, Uncategorized

Sanctions Against Physicians on Probation Increase in Severity

In 2012, I wrote a blog post about how the State Medical Board of Ohio was cracking down on physicians who were on probation. See “On Probation with the Medical Board? Beware, There is a New Sheriff in Town.” When writing that post two years ago, I could not have anticipated the changes that would take place and how these changes are affecting physicians who are under probation.

At any one time, the Ohio Medical Board monitors over three hundred physicians who are subjected to probationary terms. Many are on probation for substance abuse or alcohol abuse problems. These individuals are required to call into a lab testing site daily and to submit to random OBSERVED urine screen anywhere from 2-4 times per month. They are also required to notify their doctors of their addiction, notify the Board of all medications they have been prescribed, and in many cases they are required to keep a log of all controlled substances they prescribe. They are required to attend AA or NA support meetings and personally report to the Board on a quarterly basis. All of these requirements are on top of their daily work assignments and while juggling family commitments.

In the past, minor violations of these requirements were accepted by the Board. You might miss a call in for a drug screen or one AA meeting. However, these seemingly minor violations are now the basis for additional discipline by the Board against the physician.

I recently learned that a physician’s probation was extended for 30 days for failing to call into the testing site on ONE occasion (and they were not even selected to provide a sample on that day). In the past year, I have also handled three cases where the Board has proposed to discipline a physicians for technical violations of their Consent Agreements, a few missed calls or a few missed AA meetings (even in cases where there is no evidence of a positive drug screen).

So, beware. Minor violations will not be taken lightly. Regroup. Set your priorities in place and be 100% compliant with the terms of your Consent Agreement, or you could face further Board discipline.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or the State Medical Board of Ohio in general, please feel free to call my office at (614) 486-3909 and ask to speak with one of the attorneys or email me at beth@collislaw.com.

State Medical Board of Ohio

Ohio Medical Board approach to physicians with mental health issues may have a chilling effect on physicians seeking treatment

Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 4731.22(B)(19), the Medical Board in Ohio can suspend the license of a physician if it is determined that a physician has an “…inability to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standard of care by reason of mental illness . . .”. This suggests that the Board must link a physician’s mental illness to an inability to safely practice medicine. In fact, the Medical Board does not need to show immediate harm to the public or evidence of poor or substandard medical practice to limit or restrict a physician’s license if it is determined that he or she suffers from a mental illness.

Under the Ohio Medical Board statute, if the Board has reason to believe that a physician suffers from a mental illness that could affect their ability to practice medicine, the Board can order the physician to undergo a psychiatric evaluation with a Board approved psychiatrist (a psychiatrist selected and approved by the Medical Board). The evaluation, which generally runs between $2,500-$4,800, is at the expense of the physician. Generally, before the evaluation, the physician is required to sign a release form and submit his or her medical records, including mental health records, to the Board approved psychiatrist for review. After reviewing the physician’s medical records, the Board approved psychiatrist will evaluate the physician and make a determination. The evaluation may or may not include psychological testing and may or may not include the psychiatrist contacting family members, colleagues or co-workers to evaluate the physician’s “ability to practice.”

After the evaluation, the Board approved psychiatrist will make one of the following recommendations to the Board:

-physician may continue to practice medicine with no Board monitoring; or

-physician may continue to practice medicine as long as they enter into a monitoring agreement that requires them to maintain treatment with a psychiatrist or therapist and for the therapist to submit quarterly reports to the Board; or

-the physician is unfit to practice medicine and his or her license will be suspended until such time as s/he can provide the Medical Board with evaluations from two additional psychiatrists that s/he is fit to resume practice. These evaluations are, again, at the expense of the physician.

If the physician is required to enter into any type of monitoring agreement with the Medical Board, the agreement is a public document. Such agreement typically includes the physican’s medical diagnosis and conditions under which he or she may continue to practice medicine. It is reported to the National Practitioner’s Data Bank and is accessible to the public on the Medical Board website.

Many physicians throughout the state have voiced strong opposition to the lack of confidentiality of the monitoring program, the onerous nature of the monitoring conditions and the chilling effect that curtails many from seeking appropriate medical care for fear that their confidential medical records would be reviewed by Medical Board Members or staff. (Confidential medical records are NOT released to the public. However, the physician’s medical diagnosis, monitoring conditions and name of their treating doctor is released to the public.)

Many individuals have been contacting the Medical Board with their concerns about the punitive way in which the Medical Board treats physicians who suffer from a mental health condition. Many individuals are also pushing for Ohio to institute a confidential program to monitor physicians. If you believe that physicians should be provided with a confidential monitoring program, I recommend that you contact the State Medical Board of Ohio and voice your concerns.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or the State Medical Board of Ohio in general, please contact one of the attorneys at Collis, Smiles & Collis, LLC at 614-486-3909, or by email to Beth@collislaw.com.

State Medical Board of Ohio

How are decisions made by the State Medical Board of Ohio

I am often asked by clients, “Who makes the final determination as to the sanction that will be imposed against a physician at the State Medical Board of Ohio?” In theory, this is a simple answer. The Board Members review all the evidence in the case and a vote of six members will result in a sanction against a physician. Alternatively, if the case does not proceed to a hearing, two members of the Board, the Board Secretary and Supervising Member review the evidence and offer terms for a settlement in lieu of proceeding to a hearing.

To make the appropriate determination as to the sanction that should be imposed, the Medical Board has Disciplinary Guidelines, which are posted on the Board’s website (http://www.med.ohio.gov/pdf/meddis.pdf) that outline appropriate sanctions for various violations of the Medical Board’s laws and rules.

In addition, the Medical Board is to review similar prior Board actions and make a determination that is consistent with similar sanctions that have been imposed in similar cases in the past. This is called following precedence.

However, this is all “In Theory”. What we have seen in the past year is that the Medical Board has been reluctant to follow the disciplinary guidelines (they are advisory only, not mandatory) and the Board has been unwilling to follow prior Board decisions in imposing discipline against physicians.

This change can be based on a variety of factors. First, each year as Board vacancies open up, the Governor is charged with appointing new Board members. New members often come to the Board and look at cases differently than former Board panels. This change can be refreshing as a shakeup in the Board makeup can bring fresh perspectives to the Board. However, it also leads to inconsistent results, and leaves members of the medical community unaware of how they might be sanctioned if they do violate a Board law or rule.

Recently, we have seen that if the case before the Board does not affect the physician’s medical practice (i.e. a conviction unrelated to medicine) that the Board members have been reluctant to sanction the physician. On the opposite end, if the case involves prescribing of pain medications or even minor violations of a prior Board sanction, the Board has been very punitive.

In this time of uncertainly, I still believe that you put your client in the best position before the Board if you provide the Board Members with as much information through the settlement or hearing process as possible. Board Members often complain that they do not have enough information about the physician to make a reasoned decision about their case. Therefore, I have found that while the Disciplinary Guidelines and prior case actions can be helpful in determining how the Board might proceed in any case, a recommended way to handle any case is to put as much information about the physician and their facts and circumstances about their case before the Board. This might mean taking more cases to hearing than the Board has seen in recent years. However, until the Board settles into a rhythm of making consistent decisions on similar cases, this might be the only way to effectively represent the client before the Board.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or the State Medical Board of Ohio in general, please feel free to contact one of the attorneys at Collis, Smiles and Collis at 614-486-3909, check out our website for more information at www.collislaw.com or email me at beth@collislaw.com.

State Medical Board of Ohio

Is Professional Courtesy Dead among Physicians?

Going back to the time of Hippocrates, physicians have provided medical treatment to their colleagues and their colleagues’ family members without charge. The rationale was to discourage physicians from treating themselves and their family members and also to encourage professional courtesy among physicians.

It is rare today that physicians have the time, desire, or financial means to take on patients without charge. However, if a physician is in position to do so, the rules of the game still apply. You still need to treat a pro bono patient EXACTLY as you would treat a paying patient.

You need to do a physical examination and document in the patient’s chart all the medications you prescribe and the treatment plan. Too often, I have had physicians tell me in my office that they did not create a chart because they were “not billing insurance.” This is improper. The State Medical Board of Ohio does not have different rules for the treatment of patients who you charge and those you do not charge. The Medical Board never even asks if you were paid for the treatment. This is not the standard.

The American Medical Association has also drafted an Opinion on Professional Courtesy and it states that while “professional courtesy is a long-standing tradition in the medical community, it is NOT an ethical requirement”. The Opinion also warns physicians that they should be aware that accepting insurance payments while waiving patient co-payments may violate AMA Opinion 6.12 “Foregiveness or Waiver of Insurance Co-Payment .” American Medical Association Opinion 6.13. In addition, in Ohio, it is against the law to waive an insurance co-pay for a patient or to advertise that you will waive an insurance co-pay. Ohio Revised Code 4731.22(B)(28)(a) and (b).

If you want to provide medical treatment to another for free you may do so as a professional courtesy. However, you may not bill insurance and waive the co-payment to the patient. You must provide treatment to this patient in the same manner and in accordance with the same medical and legal laws, rules and standards applicable to all other patients.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or about the State Medical Board of Ohio, you may contact any of the attorneys at Collis, Smiles and Collis in Columbus, Ohio at 614-486-3909.

State Medical Board of Ohio

Physicians .. Do your CMEs or face Ohio Medical Board discipline

Each month I attend the monthly meeting of the State Medical Board of Ohio. This past week, at the Board’s monthly meeting, I was stunned to hear that the Board had voted to accept the permanent surrender of four physician’s licenses for failure to comply with their Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements! This means four physicians in the state of Ohio chose to permanently surrender their medical licenses for failure to comply with the Board’s CME requirements. While many of these physicians may be older doctors who no longer want to practice, I was saddened to hear that they chose to permanently surrender their licenses under such circumstances.

All physicians in Ohio are required to complete 100 hours of CME credits every two years. 40 hours of that 100 must be Category A approved hours and the remaining 60 hours can be completed by simply reading medical journals. There are many on-line or in person locations that you can obtain CME approved hours. You may contact your local medical association or the Ohio State Medical Association for approved credit hours. https://www.osma.org/education/continuing-medical-education-requirements.

You are required to maintain documentation of your meeting attendance. Each year, the Medical Board conducts random audits and requests that selected physicians submit proof of completion of their CME hours.

Failure to respond timely to an audit can result in a Reprimand to your professional license. If you are unable to provide evidence that you completed the required CME credits during your two-year renewal period, the Board may issue for a first time offense a Reprimand and a fine ranging from $1000-$5000. The Board may also indefinitely suspend your medical license until you have completed all your CME hours.

For a second time offense, the Board can impose a sanction of a fine from $3000-$5000 and can suspend your license for an indefinite period of time ranging from a 60-90 day suspension.

Keep track of your CME credits. Keep copies of all meetings you attend and journals you read. It is not worth the risk of discipline to your professional license including a fine, Reprimand or Suspension for failure to complete your required CME hours.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or the State Medical Board of Ohio, you may contact any of the attorneys at Collis, Smiles and Collis in Columbus, Ohio, 614-486-3909.