July 2020 eNews from the State Medical Board of Ohio
COVID-19 Updates

House Bill 197
On March 27, 2020, House Bill 197 was signed into law by Governor DeWine. HB197 granted an extension to M
edical Board licensees who have licenses that will expire during the declared COVID-19 emergency. If the emergency is not lifted by August 31, 2020, you have until December 1, 2020 to renew your license. If the emergency is lifted before August 31, we will notify you of your license expiration date (90 days after the emergency ends).

Despite the extension, many Medical Board licensees have already chosen to renew. A couple of the benefits to doing so are:

1. There is no risk of forgetting to renew which could result in an expired license and having to pay a late renewal fee.
2. Staying on the same renewal cycle timeline you are used to. Whether you renew now or at a later date your next license renewal date will not change. For example, if your license is due to expire on July 30, 2020, your next renewal date will be on July 30, 2022, regardless of when you renew during this extension period.

Please feel free to contact us at License@med.ohio.gov if you have any questions or need any assistance during the renewal process. 

COVID-19 Minority Health Strike Force
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence has shown that communities of color have been disproportionately affected by the virus, especially African American and Latino communities. To respond to and help address these disparities, the State of Ohio has created the Minority Health Strike Force. The objectives of the strike force are: stop the progression of the disease, evaluate and document the impact of the disease, remedy factors that contribute to the spread and procure resources to prevent a resurgence. Read the strike force's interim report. It includes recommendations from four subcommittees and focuses on immediate action items to address COVID-19 and its impact on people of color.

Health Alerts


Testing

No-cost COVID-19 testing sites are available throughout Ohio. This map lists a combination of private companies, retail sites, Community Health Centers, and pop-up sites offering testing.

MBLEx Fee Suspended Until October 1

 

The Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) fee increased from $195 to $265 on April 1, 2020; however, the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards delayed implementing the increase.

 

The fee of $265 will be reinstated beginning October 1, 2020. This date also coincides with the Authorization to Test returning to the standard 90-day window if an MBLEx application is submitted on October 1 or later.

Trusted Resources

Provider Wellness Resources

Text 4HOPE to 741 741
Or log onto https://www.ophp.org/covid-19-resources

NEW QUALIFYING CONDITION FOR OMMCP

The board met on July 8 to discuss the petitions requesting to add three qualifying conditions to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (OMMCP). After a discussion, the full board voted to accept the petition and add cachexia as a qualifying condition, effective immediately. The board also voted to reject petitions for autism spectrum disorder and anxiety disorder. This brings the total number of qualifying conditions in the OMMCP to 22.

 

Cachexia, also known as wasting syndrome, is a condition that causes extreme weight and muscle loss and is often associated with other severe and chronic illnesses.

Anyone may submit a petition requesting a condition be added to the OMMCP during the next submission period, November 1 – December 31, 2020. If a condition has been previously rejected by the board, the new petition must contain new scientific information. Details on the process can be found here.

 

Duty to Report

Ohio physicians and many other allied health care providers, regulated by the State Medical Board of Ohio, are obligated to report violations of law, rule and code of ethics standards to the Medical Board. Knowing a colleague is violating regulations and not reporting to the Medical Board not only puts patients at risk but also puts your license to practice in jeopardy. Failure to report can result in fines of up to $20,000 and disciplinary action.

 

While standards of care and scope of practice are specific to the type of health care you provide, you should be familiar with three main sets of regulations:

  1. Statutes: Laws are outlined in Ohio Revised Code (ORC). A link for each license type can be found on our website.
  2. Rules: Regulations that were created specifically by the State Medical Board of Ohio for its licensees. These are found in Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) and a link for each license type can be found on our website.         
  3. Code of Ethics for your profession


In 2019, the State Medical Board of Ohio took additional steps to ensure licensees know the seriousness of their duty to report knowledge of misconduct. The board added a new section to the application and renewal process to ensure those applying for and renewing their licenses are aware of the duty to report. 
 

Licensees should not assume that by informing their supervisor their duty to report is fulfilled. Ohio law is clear when a licensee needs to report information directly to the Medical Board. Anyone, including licensees, can file a complaint directly with the Medical Board 24/7 through the confidential complaint hotline at 1-833-333-SMBO (7626) or online at med.ohio.gov.


Board Seeks Subject Matter Experts

The State Medical Board of Ohio contracts with qualified medical experts for quality of care reviews. The board is currently seeking experts in family medicine, internal medicine and pain management. Potential experts should have a clinical practice within Ohio and be board-certified for a minimum of five years. If interested, email your CV to donald.davis@med.ohio.gov.

 

UPCOMING MEETINGS

August 12

September 9
October 14
Meetings will be shared via livestream

CONTACT US
30 E. Broad Street, 
3rd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
614-466-3934
contact@med.ohio.gov

QUICK LINKS

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EMS Public Record Exemptions

The board is updating its contact information in accordance with Ohio law. Please take a moment to complete* the short survey if you work as:

  • An EMS medical director
  • An EMS Regional Physician Advisory Board (RPAB) member
  • A correctional institution employee
  • A youth services employee

*If you have already completed the survey, you do not need to complete it again.

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 summaries of the disciplinary actions initiated, and the disciplinary sanctions imposed by the Medical Board at its monthly meeting. An individual's license information can be found on

eLicense.

Monthly Formal Actions >

 

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