SCOPE OF PRACTICE ISSUES FOR MEDICAL BOARD

Dana Shaffer, DO, FACOFP Vice Chair, Iowa Board of Medicine Vice President, American Association of Osteopathic Examiners Basic tenet- medical/osteopathic boards overriding purpose is PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC Medical boards do not advocate for the profession, this is left up to the medical and osteopathic associations. IAC 325.10(8)c- Proposed rules shall be designed to encourage the utilization of physician assistants in a manner that is consistent with the provisions of quality health care and medical services for the citizens of Iowa….. Goal VII: With the leadership , assistance and support of the Federation, state medical boards will cooperate effectively, sharing both information and resources. Goal I: With the leadership, assistance and support of the Federation, state medical boards will enhance their protection of the public and work to improve the quality of health care. “Legal scopes of practice for the health care professions establish which professionals may provide which health care services, in which settings, and under which guidelines or parameters. “ “Due to the state-based nature of this process, the practice acts and subsequent rules and regulations vary from state to state for the different professions. “ Catherine Dower, JD et al “Exceptions to the state-based framework include the institutions, such as the US military, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and Indian Health Service. “ Catherine Dower, JD, et al •Provide hearing /legislative input at anytime or only when asked •Produce “white papers” or policy statements •Create administrative rules and regulations •Propose and promote changes in the State Code or Law •Do formal lobbying •Provides an objective method to access proposed changes in regulation of the health professions •For practitioners seeking to become newly regulated, establish their own regulatory board •Seeking to expand or narrow the scope of practice of a presently regulated health profession •Unresolved administrative rule-making disputes between boards •Conduct impartial, analytical assessments using established objective criteria to develop recommendations to ensure and protect the public’s health, safety and welfare. •Are not legally binding •Can be used to help define what is the practice of medicine •Provide guidance to physicians as well as the public •Other professional boards can, and do, also write their own policy statements •When doing these statements keep an open mind, listen to the experts and examine the education, training, and competence of all concerned •Combat the access to care myths •Physicians Holding Financial Interest in Imaging and other Services •Use of Ultasounds for Non-medical Reasons •A Policy Statement on Needle EMG • A Policy Statement on Homepathy •Ear Stapling •Naturopathy •Sleep Medicine I look forward to hearing your questions and thoughts.