The Board has created an Ad Hoc Committee on Physician Advertising. The members on the committee are Dr. Patrick Crocker will be chair. The members of the committee are Drs. McMichael, McNeese, Williford, Arambula, and Zeilter, as well as public members Turner, Southard, and Webb. This committee will first meet at the April Board meeting. [...]
The Texas Physician Health Program (PHP) is continuing to grow. The Medical Director, Dr. Lloyd Garland reported to the Texas Medical Board that it has offered 364 monitoring agreements to date the nearly year the PHP has been operational. Of those contracts, 322 have been accepted. Additionally, there are 26 Physician Assistants enrolled in the [...]
The Executive Director of the Texas Medical Board, Mari Robinson, reported the Texas Medical Board is currently has 1341 open investigations. For fiscal year 2011, which started September 1, 2010, the Board has opened 617 investigations. Currently, she reports the Board is opening approximately 250 cases per month. This fiscal year, the Board has completed 992 investigations.
Ms. [...]
Currently, there is no law that prohibits this practice. With the legislature coming to town, there may be a push by the Texas Medical Association to ban this practice, but I do not see the legislature doing so this session. There are too many other issues to tackle and it is anti-free market.
However, the Texas [...]
On December 7th, the Governor, the Lt. Governor, and the Speaker of House sent a letter to all state agencies, including all the health licensing board, and directed them to cut 2.5% of their budget for rest of the 2011 Fiscal Year. The FY 2011 began on September 1st. The FY 2011 began with a [...]
According to public information on December 3, 2010, the Texas Physician Health Program, which also serves Physician Assistants and Acupuncturist, now has more than 100 people enrolled in its monitoring program.
The two big issues that are still unsettled is how to deal with licensees who agree to cease their practice altogether. The Medical Board and [...]
The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court ruling and allowed the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) to continue its lawsuit against the Texas Medical Board (the Board). The lower court had previously found that the AAPS lacked standing (ability of a party to demonstrate to the court connection to [...]
Electronic death certificate: Conversation on whether they should refund all the fines regarding this. The Vital Statistics system is difficult and it takes two weeks to get a password. For doctors who rarely have a patient die, this is a difficult system. Half of all doctors do not know that it is Texas law that [...]
DISCIPLINARY PROCESS REVEW COMMITTEE
Texas Physician Health Program. Dr. Garland introduced Dr. Alison– practicing psychiatrist – took over from Dr. Jackson . 316 total referrals including self referrals and by TMB. 184 active participants. 72 reported back to TMB. Talking to several about retiring their licenses. These will come under a short agreement to conclude an [...]
THIRD PARTY PAYOR FOR MEDCIAL SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Members: Michael Arambula, M.D. Chair, Julie Attebury, John D. Ellis, Jr., Roberta Kalfut, D.O.,
Melissa Tonn, M.D. (attending by phone)
Charged with looking at Thrid party payor for medical services and decide to submit any language changes to the Rules and if they adequately describe what is intended. These types [...]