IBM Strategic Plan

Date: 
01/15/2020
Document Text Version

Iowa Board of Medicine

Strategic Plan 2019–2021

 

Mission Statement

 

To protect patient safety by enforcing the highest professional and ethical standards for physicians, acupuncturists, and genetic counselors.

 

We achieve our mission by implementing the tools needed to facilitate a fair complaint process in an effort to promote health equity and eliminate health disparities within the State of Iowa.

 

Proposed Vision Statement

 

To expeditiously and effectively protect the safety of Iowans by ensuring the highest standards of care using the best regulatory practices, keeping current with advancements in medicine, acupuncture, and genetic counseling, and taking advantage of technological improvements.

 

Core Functions of the Board


Pursuant to the authority of the Iowa Code and Iowa Administrative Code, the Iowa Board of Medicine regulates the practice of medicine and surgery, acupuncture, and genetic counseling. The board establishes regulations by proposing legislation and adopting administrative rules and is charged with enforcing these laws and rules to protect the public, as well as providing aid and resources to licensees struggling with impairments.

 

The Licensure Division evaluates applicants for licensure, verifying information accuracy and ensuring applicants meet criteria established by law and rule.

 

The Enforcement Division ensures compliance with Iowa laws and rules as well as prevailing standards of care and professional ethics by thoroughly reviewing and investigating complaints against licensees, taking appropriate disciplinary action, and monitoring licensees’ compliance with disciplinary requirements.

 

The Iowa Physician Health Program supports licensees by providing confidential, compassionate assistance and monitoring to licensees faced with mental, physical, substance use disorders that could impact their ability to practice safely.



LICENSURE

Goals and Strategic Actions

 Goals

Strategic Actions

Continuously improve the application review process

  • Identify and implement the use of monitoring data

  • Continuously review procedures and develop necessary updates

Continuously evaluate the laws and rules governing the licensing process.

  • Review administrative rules on a monthly basis.

  • Propose amendments and updates to the laws and rules governing the licensing process.



ENFORCEMENT - COMPLAINTS & INVESTIGATIONS

Goals and Strategic Actions

 Goals

Strategic Actions

Perform a timely and thorough review of every complaint received

  • Attempt to contact every complainant

  • Review all new complaints weekly by the Complaint Review Committee

  • Refer appropriate cases to the Screening Committee

Perform timely and thorough investigations

  • Gather relevant evidence for each investigation, including patient records, interviews, and any other information necessary to aid the Board in its review

Ensure professional and effective communication with complainants, licensees, witnesses, and other interested parties throughout the investigation process

  • Maintain professional demeanor and attire when interacting with interested parties

  • Respond timely to questions and requests by interested parties

  • Incorporate rules to facilitate better communication during the complaint process in an effort to promote health equity and eliminate health disparities within the State of Iowa.

Advocate and support the retention of investigation staff to improve the enforcement process

  • Provide necessary technology, including equipment and software essential for thorough investigations

  • Provide ongoing training opportunities, such as for trauma-informed and culturally sensitive interviewing techniques

Continuously evaluate the investigative process to increase efficiency and reduce delays

  • Implement a pre-investigation rating system into the complaint review process to assist in the determination of investigation type.

  • 1. Screening committee

  • 2. Letter, response and records case.

  • 3. Full investigation. 



ENFORCEMENT 

DISCIPLINARY PROCESS

Goals and Strategic Actions

 Goals

Strategic Actions

Ensure the board initiates disciplinary charges only upon appropriate probable cause

  • Ensure the board’s decisions are based on prevailing standards of care and professional ethics

  • Provide for comprehensive licensee evaluations when complaints raise issues of questionable competency, behavior, or impairment

  • Order peer reviews by independent licensees as well as practice reviews and further investigations in close cases to determine whether the standard of care was breached

Ensure that the administration of disciplinary action is appropriate, fair, and consistent

  • Maintain unbiased and even-handed procedures for disciplinary decision making

  • Provide licensees subject to discipline with a timely opportunity to be heard



ENFORCEMENT—MONITORING

Goals and Strategic Actions

 Goals

Strategic Actions

Apply best practices for monitoring disciplined licensees while protecting the public

  • Ensure disciplined licensees fully comply with board ordered requirements

  • Communicate timely with staff and board all concerns with the licensee

  • Communicate problems and successes with licensees while they are monitored

  • Treat all licensees with respect and professionalism



PHYSICIAN HEALTH PROGRAM

Goals and Strategic Actions

 Goals

Strategic Actions

Assist and monitor licensees faced with mental, physical, or substance use disorders that could impact their ability to practice safely

  • Ensure licensees fully comply with program requirements

  • Communicate timely with treatment providers, Iowa Physician Health Committee, & legal council concerns with a licensee

  • Communicate concerns and successes with licensees while they are monitored

  • Treat licensees with respect, compassion and professionalism

Apply best practices for monitoring licensees while protecting the public

  • Maintain membership with the Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP).

  • Utilize the FSPHP Physician Health Program Guidelines when establishing or revising program procedures.

  • Participate in continuing education related to substance use, mental health, and case management.

Increase awareness of the IPHP throughout the medical community. 

  • Promote outreach to residency programs, hospitals, and clinics.

  • Promote outreach to treatment providers of healthcare professionals.

  • Maintain IPHP website with up-to-date information.

 

Contact ibm@iowa.gov to request an accessible version of this document.

Document Category: 

Printed from the Iowa Board of Medicine website on March 21, 2023 at 8:30am.