January 2020 Newsletter from the State Medical Board of Ohio
 
January 2020 Newsletter

Reminder to All Licensees Regarding Extortion Scam
Licensees should be on alert for a scam that has resurfaced targeting Ohio physicians. Scammers have been calling and faxing prescribers stating they are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and their license will be revoked if they do not pay a fine immediately via phone or fax. In one such incident, the scammer even faxed a fraudulent document to the physician using the State Medical Board logo.

Please be aware that if the State Medical Board of Ohio is truly conducting an investigation and the investigated individual faces action against their license, they will receive an official notice of opportunity for a hearing either via certified mail or by personal service. Further, information on all suspensions of Medical Board licenses and the payment of all Medical Board fines can be found via the official state website, eLicense.ohio.gov.

If you are contacted, please report the incident to the investigation division of the Medical Board by calling 614-466-3934.

 

Medical Board investigators have alerted our partners at the DEA of this scam and they have published information on their website, including how to notify the DEA if you are contacted by the scammers. 

Medical Board Officers
The following members of the board will serve as officers during calendar year 2020:

  • President, Michael Schottenstein, MD
  • Vice-President, Richard Edgin, MD
  • Secretary, Kim G. Rothermel, MD
  • Supervising Member, Bruce Saferin, DPM 
To help address the opioid crisis in the state of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMAS) is offering free DEA DATA 2000 Waiver Trainings.

This free 1 1/2 day training is open to all physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who hold an Ohio license and a current DEA number. Physicians who attend the 1 1/2 day training, obtain the waiver, and fulfill reimbursement criteria will receive $1,300. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants who attend the 1 1/2 day training, complete an additional online component, obtain the waiver and fulfill reimbursement criteria will receive $750. All attendees will also receive free CMEs. 

 

OhioMHAS has awarded a grant to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) to provide trainers for the first day of the waiver training. The second day focuses on implementation of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) into practice. For the second day there will be a waivered physician speaking on implementation of MAT into practice and answering questions, an OhioMHAS training officer will present information on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) and motivational interviewing. A local provider will present referral to treatment and available resources in the local area.

 

Training events are available several times each month across the state. Click here for more information. 

2020 J-1 Waiver Program Application Cycle Now Open
The Ohio Department of Health announced that the application cycle for the J-1 Visa Waiver Program is open. J-1 Visa Waivers allow foreign medical school graduates to remain in the United States after completing residency/fellowship training in exchange for a three-year commitment to provide health care services in underserved areas. 

 

Potential sponsors are encouraged to complete and submit the "Notice of Intent to Apply" form as soon as possible. Applications for primary care and behavioral health placements (see program priority category 1) will be accepted until June 30, 2020. All other applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2020. Click here to see the Ohio Department of Health website for more information, program changes and application forms. 

Medical Board Seeks to Contract with Victim Coordinators
The Victim Coordinator position will be a resource for the overall coordination of internal and external communications related to an investigation in partnership with board investigators and enforcement attorneys, law enforcement agencies, the Attorney General Office and other prosecutors' offices. The Victim Coordinator will provide trauma informed, emotionally safe communications to the victim while coordinating the victim’s participation in a board investigation. The Victim Coordinator will work under the direction of the Deputy Director of Investigations, Compliance, Enforcement, and Standards Review (ICES) or their designee to provide continuity and support functions to victims involved with a State Medical Board of Ohio investigation. To read a detailed description about the position, its responsibilities or submit an application, click below. 

Board Seeks Subject Matter Experts
The State Medical Board of Ohio has been tasked with reviewing the petitions to add qualifying medical conditions to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (OMMCP). The board is currently seeking qualified subject matter experts to review the materials submitted in support of these petitions.

Pursuant to Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-05, the petition must detail:
(1) The name and contact information for the person submitting the petition;
(2) The specific disease or condition requested to be added as a qualifying condition;
(3) Information from experts who specialize in the study of the disease or condition;
(4) Relevant medical or scientific evidence pertaining to the disease or condition;
(5) Consideration of whether conventional medical therapies are insufficient to treat or alleviate the disease or condition;
(6) Evidence supporting the use of medical marijuana to treat or alleviate the disease or condition, including journal articles, peer-reviewed studies, and other types of medical or scientific documentation;
(7) Letters of support provided by physicians with knowledge of the disease or condition. This may include a letter provided by the physician treating the petitioner, if applicable.

The subject matter expert shall render a written opinion on the suitability of medical marijuana for the proposed disease or condition within 45 days following receipt of the materials to be reviewed. Board personnel will communicate instructions to the expert as to the format of the report. We anticipate the report from a subject matter expert to be 2-5 pages in length.

If you are interested in becoming a subject matter expert reviewer, please submit a completed questionnaire and a current copy of your curriculum vitae to donald.davis@med.ohio.gov. Following receipt of this information, your name will be added to our list of subject matter experts. When the board receives a petition matching your background, experience, and specialty, board personnel will contact you with further details.

    Ohio Physician Loan Repayment Program

    The Ohio Department of Health Primary Care Office is now accepting applications for the Ohio Physician Loan Repayment Program (OPLRP) through February 15, 2020. 

    The goal of the OPLRP is to increase access to primary care for underserved communities and populations. In exchange for loan repayment assistance, physicians commit to practice for a minimum of two years at an eligible site in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or Health Resource Shortage Area, accept Medicare and Medicaid, and see patients regardless of ability to pay.

    The Medical Board's office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on the following day.
    Board Meetings
    The Medical Board meets each month in the Administrative Hearing Room on the 3rd floor of the Rhodes Office Tower, 30 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215.

    The meeting agendas and minutes are available on the board's website.
    Upcoming 2020 Meetings
    February 12
    March 11
    April 8
    May 13
    EMS Public Record Exemptions

    If you work as an EMS medical director, an EMS Regional Physician Advisory Board (RPAB) member, a correctional institution employee or a youth services employee, the Medical Board is updating its contact information in accordance with the law. Please complete this short survey.


    Take the survey > 

    Update Your Address

    Medical Board licensees are required to give notice of a change of address (residence, business or electronic) no later than 30 days after the change occurs. 

    Update your address >

    Monthly Formal Action Report

    Review summary descriptions of the disciplinary actions initiated and the disciplinary sanctions imposed by the Medical Board at its monthly meeting. Individual's license information can be found on eLicense.


    Monthly Formal Actions >



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