Staffing, Budget Reductions Affect Operations at Medical, Dental Boards
Staffing and budget reductions in recent years have "hamstrung" efforts at state regulatory boards, including the Medical Board of California and the Dental Board of California, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to the Times, interviews and documents indicate that the medical board:
- "[N]o longer sends investigators into poor neighborhoods to catch doctors practicing without a license," although the program identified 52 cases for prosecution in its first four years;
- Has "all but eliminated" attempts to monitor Internet operations that provide prescriptions to patients without examinations; and
- Takes more than 18 months to investigate 46% of the cases it pursues, in violation of state guidelines.
According to the Times, inquiries by the dental board on average last more than eight months, and about 31% last longer than a year -- twice as long as board guidelines recommend (Rau, Los Angeles Times, 8/15). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.