State Member Board Briefs

Abstract

The Osteopathic Medical Board of California (OMBC) appointed Erika Calderon as its new executive officer, effective November 1, 2022.Ms. Calderon served the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) in various roles for more than 12 years most recently holding the position of Staff Services Manager 1 over the Consumer Protection Services (CPS) unit at the Physical Therapy Board of California (PTBC). In this role, she was responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the CPS unit, among additional responsibilities in support the PTBC’s goals, objectives, and mission.Prior to her work with PTBC, Ms. Calderon held two positions with the Medical Board of California from 2014 to 2022, and Staff Services Analyst with the Veterinary Medical Board from 2010 to 2014. Ms. Calderon also brings years of experience in the private sector and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources from California State University, Sacramento.Source: Osteopathic Medical Board of California websiteThe Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) has announced that additional health care professionals now have a new means to apply for licensure through reciprocity in the state of Indiana. This is the third and final phase of the IPLA’s rollout and implementation of licensure through reciprocity for health care professionals under the requirements of Indiana Code § 25-1-21.Eligible applicants seeking licensure through reciprocity may apply for their official license as well as a provisional (temporary) license online at MyLicense.IN.gov. Currently, the online application is the only means to apply for licensure through this method. More specific guidance and directions for applying for licensure through this method is provided on the web pages designated to these professions on IPLA’s website, under “Application Instructions.” Questions should be directed to the IPLA’s staff.Source: Indiana Professional Licensing Agency Press Release, December 12, 2022Members of the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure Election recently held the annual election for leadership for the upcoming year.The Board selected William C. Thornbury, MD, to serve as Board President. Waqar Saleem, MD, was elected as Vice President and serves as Chair of the Board’s Inquiry/Hearing Panel A. Dale Toney, MD, was elected to serve as Secretary and will serve as the Chair of the Board’s Inquiry/Hearing Panel B.In addition to the election of officers, the Board also welcomed three new members. Tamella B. Cassis, MD, was appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to fill the position previously held by Caren Daniels, MD, whose term expired. Aneeta Bhatia, MD, was appointed by Governor Beshear to fill the vacancy left by David Wallace, MD, whose term had expired. In addition, Governor Beshear also appointed Vishnukant Joshi, DO, to serve the remainder of the term left by the passing of Bill A. Webb, DO. Governor Beshear also reappointed Dr. Thornbury to serve a new four-year term.Source: Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure Fall 2022 NewsletterThe State Medical Board of Ohio has released a new transparency page with clear metrics on the output of its complaint and enforcement processes. This reported data is a continuation of the board’s efforts to provide transparency and appropriate disclosure of case information to the public. Among the changes, the board created a new dashboard that reports submitted and closed complaints, citations and settlement agreements, and allegations of licensee misconduct by calendar year.The page is accessible at https://med.ohio.gov/Home/Transparency.Source: State Medical Board of Ohio, November 17, 2022The Oregon Medical Board (OMB) recently adopted OAR 847-010-0130, which requires all OMB licensees to offer a trained chaperone to be physically present for all genital, rectal, and breast examinations starting July 1, 2023.On recommendation of the Oregon Medical Board’s Sexual Misconduct Workgroup, the OMB adopted this requirement due to the evidence of the detrimental effects of sexual misconduct on patients’ wellbeing, the patient-provider relationship, and public trust in the medical profession. There is a need to institute routine offerings of a chaperone to reduce the risk of sexual misconduct for Oregon patients.The presence of a trained chaperone in the examination room can provide reassurance to the patient about the professional context and content of the examination and the intent of the provider. The chaperone also serves as a witness to the events taking place should there be any misunderstanding or concern for misconduct.Additional information is available at https://www.oregon.gov/omb/Topics-of-Interest/Documents/FAQ%20Medical%20Chaperones.pdf.Source: Oregon Medical Board Report, Fall 2022