As a licensed medical professional, you are held to a high standard. Once your license is revoked, it can be difficult to get reinstated. It’s important to take steps now to safeguard your career and become compliant with regulations.
Doctors are often concerned about maintaining their medical licenses. The best way to do this is to follow the rules and guidelines set forth by your state’s licensing board and the American Medical Association (AMA).
Proactive steps to safeguard medical licensure
The key to success is knowing what you need to do before any problems arise. According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, here are a few tips for making sure your medical license is safe:
- Continuing education: Take Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses to stay up-to-date with current medical research.
- Get a mentor or study group: If you have any questions, make sure to consult your supervisor or other medical professionals before making a decision or diagnosis without their input
- Organized and presentable: Keep your office clean, organized and well-lit at all times. Make sure that you’re always well-groomed and presentable to represent yourself as an authority on the subject matter.
- Record keeping: Keep good records of your work hours, so you can track how much time you spend on each case. Maintain an accurate patient chart. Make sure it is always up-to-date and includes the proper documentation.
- Honesty: Be honest in billing practices. Don’t overbill or bill for services not rendered.
- State laws: Be aware of any state laws that may affect your ability to practice medicine.
- Up-to-date: Stay current on new developments in health care, including advancements in treatments and technology.
- Current: Read clinical studies before prescribing medications or procedures to patients.
- Confidentiality: Maintain confidentiality with patients. Don’t talk to anyone about anything you see or hear at work. Follow all guidelines and regulations for patient information according to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
Keeping your medical license in good standing is not an insurmountable obstacle. Following the tips above is a good first step in the right direction.
Medical licensing is a complicated and confusing area of the law. It is in your best interest not to wait until the last moment to determine how you should approach a problem with your medical license.
