|
|
|
Press Releases For Immediate Release VERMONT MEDICAL SOCIETY SUPPORTS NEW LAW REFORMING PHYSICIAN REGULATION MONTPELIER, VT -- The Vermont Medical Society expressed strong support for the legislation signed today by Governor Howard Dean, M.D., making three major changes in physician oversight and regulation in Vermont. The new law transfers oversight of the Medical Practice Board to the Department of Health, charges the board with improving patient access to information about physicians and establishes a new standard for professional discipline. "The mission of the Department of Health - to protect the public health - is a good fit with the public protection mission of the Board of Medical Practice, Carolyn Taylor-Olson, MD, President of the Vermont Medical Society said. The Department has expertise in the areas of public health, substance abuse treatment and hospital licensing that will benefit the board, as it carries out its core functions of licensing and disciplining Vermont physicians, physician assistants and podiatrists." Dr. Taylor-Olson also reaffirmed the Vermont Medical Society's position that access to reliable health information, including access to information about doctors, is an essential component of good health care. She said, "The expanded provider profiles required by the law will add information about criminal convictions; disciplinary action and medical malpractice to the information currently available about Vermont doctors on line at www.docboard.org." Addressing the new standard of care in the law, Dr. Taylor-Olson said, "The Society is pleased that it was able to join with the Commissioner of Health, the Board of Medical Practice, the Attorney General and others in urging the adoption of a new competency-based standard that will enable the board to intervene earlier and prevent harm to patients in cases that are not repeated or egregious." -30- For more information, contact: Steve Larose |
|
# of Visitors:
|
