By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A Florida cardiologist recently had his medical license emergently suspended by the Florida Department of Health (DOH) for allegedly performing stem cell treatments on a patient. According to the emergency suspension order (ESO), the DOH had previously warned the doctor to stop performing these treatments in 2011. Now, his license is at risk of being revoked. To view the ESO click here.

Doctor’s License Suspended by the DOH for Allegedly Performing Stem Cell Treatments.

The DOH ordered the emergency suspension of the cardiologist’s medical license in March 2012. He is being accused of violating an emergency restriction order (ERO) against using stem cell treatments in Florida. He is also being accused of causing the death of a patient.

We want to be perfectly clear that these are just allegations being made by the DOH at this point in time. All persons are presumed to be innocent until found guilty in a court of law (or, in DOH licensure cases, in an administrative final order).

Stem Cell Treatment Allegedly Contributed to Patient’s Death.

According to the ESO, the doctor performed a stem cell treatment on a patient who had both pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary fibrosis. Both of these conditions restrict blood flow to the heart. According to the ESO, the stem cell treatment included harvesting adipose tissue from the patient’s abdomen and concentrating stem cells from the tissue in a lab. The concentrated stem cells were then infused into the patient’s bloodstream to help treat the patient’s pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary fibrosis. Allegedly, the cardiologist’s patient suffered a cardiac arrest and died during the treatment.

Doctor Now Awaits Administrative Hearing.

An administrative hearing regarding the doctor’s license suspension is scheduled for June 2012.

To view the administrative complaint issued by the DOH, click here.

To see a diagram or flow chart of the procedures followed by the Florida Department of Health, click here.

For an explanation of the differences between a formal administrative hearing and an informal administrative hearing under the Florida Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 120, Florida Statutes, click here.

For the Florida Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 120, Florida Statutes, click here.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Emergency Suspensions and DOH Actions.

The attorneys of The Health Law Firm are experienced in handling all types of DOH cases, including emergency suspensions, administrative complaints, investigations, administrative hearings, investigations, licensing issues, settlements and more. If you are currently facing adverse action by the DOH contact one of our attorneys by calling (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001. You can also visit our website for more information at http://www.thehealthlawfirm.com/.

Sources:

Fitzpatrick, David and Drew Griffin. “Florida Suspends Doctor Accused of Illegal Stem Cell Therapy.” CNN. (Mar. 8, 2012). From: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/08/health/stem-cell-doctor-suspension/index.html

Miller, Reed. “Flouting Warning, Florida Stem-Cell Cardiologist has License Suspended.” theheart.org. (Mar. 8, 2012). From: http://www.theheart.org/article/1368039.do

About the Author:  George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law.  He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice.  Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area.  http://www.thehealthlawfirm.com/  The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone:  (407) 331-6620.

In Florida You Have Fifth Amendment Rights in a Department of Health Investigation of Your License

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

If you are contacted by a Florida Department of Health investigator, did you know that you are not required to make a statement or give any information that can be used against you?  If you are being investigated you have a right to refuse to speak with an investigator pursuant to the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the equivalent rights given by the Florida Constitution, Article 1, Section 9.  However, because the Miranda decision does not apply to administrative proceedings, including licensure investigations, the DOH investigator does not have to inform you of this.

In some states other than Florida, the state’s law is such that a nurse, physician, dentist or other licensed health care professional is required to “cooperate” with the investigation, even though he or she may be punished or lose their license as a result.  THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN FLORIDA.

Florida Licensing Investigations Are Considered to Be “Penal” or “Quasi-criminal” in Nature.

Florida licensing investigations are considered to be “penal” or “quasi-criminal” in nature.  In Florida, a professional’s license is considered to be a property right.  So you also have the constitutional right not to be deprived of it without due process of law.  Due Process of law is guaranteed not only by the Florida and U.S. constitutional provisions cited above, but also by the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.  Due process of law includes the right to be represented by an attorney in any proceedings that might be initiated that may result in your losing your license.

In Florida, a long history of legal cases has resulted in the common law rule that administrative proceedings that may result in loss of a license must afford all of the protections that a criminal defendant would have in a criminal case.

Case Law in Florida.

In a 2004 case involving the Florida Department of Health, the Florida First District Court of Appeal stated:

Initially, it should not be forgotten that because professional disciplinary statutes are penal in nature, they must be strictly construed with any ambiguity interpreted in favor of the licensee. See Ocampo v. Dep’t of Health, 806 So. 2d 633, 634 (Fla. 1st DCA 2002);  Elmariah v. Dep’t of Prof. Reg., Board of Med., 574 So. 2d 164 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990).

Cone v. Dep’t of Health, 886 So. 2d 1007, 1011 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004).

The Florida Supreme Court confirmed that a licensee could assert a Fifth Amendment right in administrative proceedings in the 1973 case of State ex rel. Vining v. Florida Real Estate Commission, 281 So.2d 487 (1973).

In Vining a real estate broker was charged by the Florida Real Estate Commission of violating the Real Estate License Law.  Id. at 488.  The broker filed a sworn answer, as he was required to do under Florida Statute Section 475.30(1).  Id.  The broker later argued that the Florida statute violated his right against self-incrimination as guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 9 of the Florida Constitution.  Id.

The Florida Supreme Court agreed, holding that “the right to remain silent applies not only to the traditional criminal case, but also to proceedings ‘penal’ in nature in that they tend to degrade the individual’s professional standing, professional reputation or livelihood.”  Id. at 491 (citing Spevack v. Klein, 385 U.S. 511, 87 S.Ct. 625, 17 L.Ed.2d 574 (1967);  Stockham v. Stockham, 168 So. 2d 320 (Fla. 1964)).  More recently, courts have reaffirmed that Vining remains good law in Florida.  See Best Pool & Spa Service Co., Inc. v. Romanik, 622 So. 2d 65, 66 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993);  Scott v. Department of Professional Regulation, 603 So. 2d 519, 520 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992).

In Best Pool & Spa Service Co., Inc. v. Romanik, 622 So. 2d 65, 66 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993), for example, the Court of Appeal reiterated the ability of a defendant to claim the Fifth Amendment privilege in an administrative proceeding.  Best Pool involved a pool owner filing actions for negligence and breach of contract against a pool maintenance contractor and its president.  The circuit court required the president to answer questions at his deposition about his certifying to the county, in an application for license, that the contractor had liability insurance.  The Court of Appeal ruled that the president was allowed to assert his Fifth Amendment privilege with regard to questions on this issue.  The court stated in Best Pool: “requiring Kassover, the president, to answer these questions does violate his right against self incrimination, which applies not only to criminal matters but also administrative proceedings such as licensing.  Id. at 66.

There are many other cases which have held the same.

You Must Be Extremely Cautious When Dealing with a DOH Investigator or Any Investigator.

If you receive notice that a DOH disciplinary investigation has been opened against you, you may not even realize it or understand how serious the consequences may be.  The notice comes in the form of a simple letter or, more often nowadays, a phone call, followed by a letter.  The letter will be on Florida Department of Health letterhead and will, in most cases,  be signed by a person whose job title is “Medical Malpractice Investigator,” “Quality Assurance Investigator” or some other title that might throw you off.

If you think you are giving information to be used in connection with a true quality assurance matter, such as would be confidential and privileged in a hospital or health institution, think again.  This is an investigation that could result in your having to pay thousands of dollars in fines, thousands of dollars in investigative costs and suspension or loss of your license.  Worse yet are the other consequences that having discipline on your professional license will bring, including difficulty in obtaining employment, reports being made to national data banks, etc.  Please see some of the other articles we have on our blog and on our website about all of the unforeseen consequences of discipline on your license.

Have You Been Told the Investigation Is Not Aimed at You?  Watch Out!

Even if the investigator attempts to ensure you that the investigation is not aimed at you, watch out!  It may not be aimed at you today, but it may be aimed at you tomorrow.  Additionally, even if the particular investigation that you are being questioned about is not directed against you, there may be another investigation that has been opened against you.  Your statement can and will be sued against you in that other investigation.

I was told by a DOH investigator one time that my clients (who were a director of nursing (DON), assistant director of nursing (ADON), an administrator and a medical director) were not being investigated, but that another health professional was.  My clients cooperated and gave statements for use in the investigation of the other person.  A short time later, additional investigations were opened against all of them, too.  Fortunately we eventually had all of the charges against all of them dismissed.  But I have not trusted investigators since then.

Don’t Wait Until it is Too Late; Consult with a Health Law Attorney Experienced in Representing Health Professionals Now.

The lawyers of The Health Law Firm routinely represent nurses, ARNPs, CRNAs, physicians, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, mental health counselors, social workers, massage therapists, medical groups, clinics, pharmacists, pharmacies, home health agencies, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other healthcare providers in licensing investigations, regulatory matters, in board actions and in administrative hearings.  Call now at (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 or visit our website www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

About the Author:  George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law.  He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice.  Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area.  www.TheHealthLawFirm.com  The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone:  (407) 331-6620.

Disclaimer: Please note that this article represents our opinions based on our many years of practice and experience in this area of health law. You may have a different opinion; you are welcome to it. This one is mine.  This article is for informational purposes only; it is not legal advice.

Florida’s Strike Force Raids Pain Management Physicians

Florida is reported to have one of the worst prescription drug abuse problems in the country. Because of this issue, pain management physicians have been under increasing scrutiny and attack by federal and state agencies.  If you are a pain management physician or you work in a pain a management clinic, you need to be aware of the measures that state and federal agencies are taking against doctors who practice pain management and the owners of pain management clinics.

A news release sent out by the Florida Department of Health (DOH) this summer discusses “inspections” of physicians’ offices across the state, allegedly to ensure compliance with Florida’s new prescription drug law (House Bill 7095).  However, many of these may be more aptly termed as “raids.”  These raids, under the guise of being inspections, have resulted in a massive quantity of narcotics being seized from clinics and physicians’ offices by the Strike Force. It is claimed that no search warrants are necessary as the Strike Force states it is performing an “administrative inspection.” The pain management physicians targeted by these inspections are identified based on their purchasing, prescribing and dispensing levels.

Often these “inspections” will include Department of Health Investigators, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agents, local police and law enforcement agents, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agents.

•  Our primary concern and warning to the physician or owner is to not talk to any investigators or inspectors, but call your personal attorney immediately. Have the investigator or inspector talk to your attorney. All communications should be with and through your attorney.
• If you are requested to “voluntarily” relinquish (give up) your DEA registration or your medical license or other professional license, do not do this.  It will not help you and it will make every aspect of your case more difficult to defend.
• Do not make any statement (oral or written) or allow yourself to be interviewed.
• Obtain the complete names, addresses, titles and agencies for each agent there.  Obtain their business cards (which they should have).
• Do not volunteer up any documents, items or information.

To read more about inspections from the document released by the Florida Department of Health click here.

If your office has been “inspected” and you need legal representation, you may call and speak to one of our health attorneys at (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001.

Doctor or Nurse, Please, Please, Please: Talk to an Attorney Before You Talk to an Investigator

Despite mailing out hundreds of thousands of postcards and letters to physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and psychologists  throughout Florida, we continue to receive calls from new clients and from potential clients, after they have already spoken to and made critical harmful admissions against their own interests to investigators.  In Florida, you do not have any duty to cooperate with any investigator who is investigating you.  This extends to Department of Health (DOH) investigators (who are sometimes titled “Medical Quality Assurance Investigators” or “Medical Malpractice Investigators“), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agents, police officers, sheriff’s deputies, or criminal investigators of any type.

Let me state this as succinctly and clearly as possible.  If you are being investigated, you will not be better off making a statement.  You will not be better off explaining your side of the story.  The investigator is not your friend.  The investigator is not on your side.  All you are doing is falling for a trick and helping the government to make a case against you.

You have a right under the U.S. Constitution to not make any statement that may be used against you.  This is so important that in criminal cases government investigators are required to advise you of this by reciting to you your Miranda rights.

However, in cases where you might have your medical license revoked or have your nursing license revoked or have your DEA number revoked or lose your Medicare provider status or your Medicaid provider status, the investigator is not required to advise you of your rights.

In a criminal case, there may be ways to have your statement thrown out.  However, in a professional licensing case or other administrative case, it may be too late to avoid the damage.  You may be the best witness the government has and you may be the only witness the government needs to prove ths case against you.

In the case where you could receive a $100 criminal fine, the investigators are required to read you your constitutional Miranda rights and to be sure that you understand them before you make a statement.  However, in a case where you can lose your professional license, where you could lose your livelihood and ability to make a living, where you could lose everything you have worked so hard to obtain, they are not required to do this.  You must protect yourself.

Many health professionals, when confronted by an investigator, who will usually call at a very inconvenient time (to catch you by surprise) and will usually flash a badge (to intimidate you), will refuse to acknowledge the seriousness of the matter and will fall for the bait to “tell their side of the story.”  This can be fatal to your defense and fatal to your license.

In the absence of a statement by the suspect (in this case, let’s assume this is YOU), the government may have a very difficult time of proving that you have committed any offense.  It may have other witnesses (who may not be around at the time of any hearing or trial).  It may have a lot of physical evidence or documents.  But it may be impossible for the government investigators to make any link between you and the evidence, unless you help the investigators do this.  You would be surprised at how many health professionals believe that they can just talk their way out of the situation;  in reality, they are just giving evidence that is used to make the case against them.

Any evidence at all, just admitting that you were there, admitting that the documents are yours, admitting that the patient was yours, admitting that you worked at the clinic, admitting that you wrote the prescription, admitting that the property is yours, admitting that you were on duty at the time, admitting that you have taken a drug, admitting that you signed the form, can be a crucial piece of evidence that could not otherwise be proven without your own testimony.

Remember, this is the investigators’ job and profession.  This is what they do full time, every day.  And they are very good at it.  They are 1,000 times better at getting you to admit the crucial elements of a disciplinary infraction than you are in “talking your way out of it.”  They will not be convinced by any excuses you make.  They do not have to be. They will not be the ones making the final decision against you.  Theirs is the job of putting together the case against you.  You will help them by talking to them, explaining why your decisions are correct, explaining why what you did is excusable, etc.  It will not work.  You will merely be giving them enough rope to hang you with.

Hint: If it is a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) special agent (investigator), you are probably under investigation for Medicaid fraud.

Hint: If it is an “auditor,” “surveyor” or “investigator” from an agency or company with “integrity” or “program integrity” in its name, they are probably investigating you for “lack of integrity,” i.e., false claims or fraud.

Hint: If it is a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent (investigator) they are probably investigating you to prosecute you or to revoke your DEA registration for drug or prescribing violations.

Hint: If it is an Office of the Inspector General (OIG) special agent (investigator), you are probably under investigation for Medicare fraud or Medicare false claims.

Hint: If it is a Department of Health Quality Assurance Investigator or Medical Malpractice Investigator, they are probably only investigating possible disciplinary action against your license that could result in large administrative fines or revocation of your license.

Do not believe for a second that you are smarter than the investigator.  Do not believe for a second that you will convince the investigator (or anyone else) that there is a legal or medical justification for what you did or what they allege.  If it were as simple as that, then why would there be an investigation and why would you be the one being investigated?

Additionally, do not believe for a second that you can lie your way out of it, either.  Remember, if the government cannot prove the basic offense that it is investigating against you, it may be able to prove that you have committed perjury or lied to an investigator.  In the case of a federal official or a federal investigation, merely making a false statement (oral or written) to an investigator is a criminal act.  This is what Martha Stewart and many others have served time for in federal prisons.

These investigators are lied to all the time.  They are usually better at detecting lies than a polygraph expert is.  Furthermore, in most cases, you will be the very last person to be interviewed.  Therefore, they will already know just about everything that can be used against you.  If your statement contradicts in any way what others have told them, they will know you are the one who is lying.  However, knowing something or suspecting something does not mean it will be something that can be proven in court or in an administrative hearing.

It is much better to make no statement at all.  Blame it on your attorney.  Tell the investigator that your attorney will kill you if you were to talk to the investigator without your attorney being there ahead of time.  “Speak to my attorney.”  “My attorney can help you, I can’t.”

All you have to do is state “I must talk to my lawyer before I say anything.”  “I will have my lawyer contact you.”  “I cannot say anything until I talk to my lawyer.”  “I want a lawyer.”

If you are not the one being investigated, then there is no good reason why the investigator would want you to make a statement before you consulted with your attorney.  What is the rush?

Then you must also avoid the old trick of the investigator telling you “If you don’t have anything to hide, why would you need a lawyer?”  Please don’t fall for this trick, either.  This is America.  Smart people and rich people spend a lot of money on attorneys and other professionals to represent them and advise them.  There is a good reason why they do this.

Far too often the health professional only calls us after he has given a statement.  This is usually too late to avoid much of the damage that will have been be caused.

Everything above applies to oral statements or written statements.  Do not make either.  Contact a lawyer as soon as possible, preferably before making any statement, no matter how simple, defensive, self-serving or innocuous you may think it to be.

Think of this as an intelligence test.  Are you smart enough to follow this guidance and avoid this type of mistake?

For more information about investigations and other legal matters, visit www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

IPN and Nurses

Please also see our latest post about IPN.

The Intervention Project for Nurses (IPN) is a program that provides close monitoring of nurses who are unsafe to practice due to impairment as a result of misuse or abuse of alcohol or drugs, or both, or due to a mental or physical condition which could affect the licensee’s ability to practice with skill and safety. Any person suspecting impairment of a nurse’s ability to provide safe nursing care may report this nurse to IPN and/or the Florida Department of Health (DOH). Under Florida’s Mandatory Reporting Law, all licensed nurses must report any suspected impairment in practice to IPN and/or the DOH.

Often a report against a nurse will be based totally on the suspicions of a supervisor, after observing a nurse at work who is actually exhibiting signs of illness or fatigue. Circumstances which are totally beyond the control of the nurse, such as a shortage of drugs from an inventory for which the nurse is not responsible, a higher use of a certain drug on a certain ward or shift, or other factors for which there is no concrete evidence of abuse or impairment can lead to a report being filed against a nurse.

These types of allegations made against a nurse are extremely serious because they are usually treated by the Department of Health as “Priority 1″ or Fast Track” offenses. This means that the charges against the nurse will usually be automatically considered for an Emergency Suspension Order (ESO) by the Department of Health. The investigation will be “fast and dirty” with a requirement that the DOH investigator have the entire investigation completed and the report in Tallahassee within 45 days. Then, unless a qualified, experienced attorney is able to immediately produce reliable documentation and other evidence showing the nurse is not impaired and is not a threat to patient health or safety, the Surgeon General (formerly the Secretary of the Department of Health) will issue an Emergency Suspension Order (ESO). This suspends the nurse’s license until all proceedings are completed and finalized (which often takes a year or more). The nurse will be unable to work as a nurse during any period when the license is suspended and, even if the nurse has a license in another jurisdiction, since the suspension is a public record which is widely published and other jurisdictions are notified, the nurse may find that licenses held in other states also suspended.

However, even where the nurse may actually have committed the offense, there are a number of administrative and procedural measures which an experienced healthcare attorney, one familiar with Board of Nursing and IPN cases, may be able to use to avoid a suspension. This will also prevent the matter from becoming public until much later in the process.

For the innocent nurse, an experienced attorney familiar with such matters may be able to obtain additional drug testing, polygraph (lie detector) testing, scientific evidence, expert witnesses, evaluations by certified addictions professionals, character references, or other evidence which shows that the nurse is innocent of the charges.

In many cases, the nurse who is the victim of a termination action by an employer or a complaint against his or her nursing license involving allegations of drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or impairment may view IPN as an easy way to avoid discipline. This is a complete fallacy. Such an apparent easy way out should be avoided at all costs.

If the nurse is not truly an impaired provider or addicted to drugs or alcohol, there may be other alternatives that do not involve discipline. IPN is not “easy” and should not be viewed as an easy way out.

It is extremely important that before a nurse “self-reports” to IPN or agrees to undergo the initial evaluation by an IPN recommended physician (usually one specializing in addictionology, as IPN always requires), an attorney who has experience with IPN cases is consulted for advice.

Before a nurse gives any blood, urine, hair samples or submits to other drug or alcohol testing, he or she should be aware that similar testing labs to the ones used by IPN exist. The nurse can arrange to be tested ny another lab first so that he or she will know whether or not the report will be problematic. For example, did you know that the use of certain prohibited drugs (including cocaine) will leave a residue in your hair which can be detected for months or longer after use? Are you aware that there are now tests being used which can tell if you have had one regular size alcoholic beverage within the past thirty (30) days? There are even tests being used now to test health care professionals for the illicit use of anesthetic gases such as Aldan.

IPN does have some advantages for the truly impaired nurse. It provides an avenue of monitoring, rehabilitation, monitoring and treatment. It is an invaluable tool to assist a nurse with a real problem to retain her ability to practice. Some nurses should not be practicing except through IPN.

However, IPN also has some serious disadvantages and may, among other things, cause the nurse to lose his or her job, require the nurse to enter into long term inpatient rehabilitation, cause the nurse to undertake extremely expensive treatment, counseling and therapy, and impose very onerous burdens of time and money on the nurse, as well as work limitations.We are consulted by just as many nurses who want to get out of the IPN Program after they agreed to enter it without proper legal advice. Even though at the time it seemed like a good idea, or the nurse incorrectly thought there was no choice in the matter, it turns out to be a big mistake for that person.

Some nurses are required to complete 60 day, 90 day, and longer periods of inpatient drug or alcohol treatment before being allowed to return to work. Nurses accepted into IPN must sign a five year contract agreeing to monitoring, weekly counseling meetings, regular psychiatric visits, random urinalysis testing (with a mandatory call in every day for the five year period), mandatory notification to all employers, a strict prohibition on drinking any alcoholic beverage, or taking any medication (even over the counter medications) without the prior approval of IPN, possible loss of your privilege to administer narcotics, possible loss of your privilege to access any prescription medications, and a possible requirement that you only work under the supervision of another registered nurse.

In most cases, it is not possible to leave the IPN Program after agreeing to it without giving up your nursing license. And this can have some extremely adverse consequences for a nurse, including a report to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid Programs, and debarment from all federal government contracting.
The bottom line is: If you are accused of stealing drugs, of sexual boundary issues or sexual misconduct, or of being impaired, immediately contact an attorney experienced with IPN and Board of Nursing matters before doing anything else.

For more information about IPN and other legal matters involving nurses, visit www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

From the DOH: Attention Pain-Management Clinics

From the Florida Department of Health:

Florida law requires pain-management clinics report specific data to the Board of Medicine.  The designated physician shall report on a quarterly basis the following data:

a.  The number of new and repeat patients seen and treated at the clinic who are prescribed controlled substance medications for the treatment of chronic, nonmalignant pain.

b.  The number of patients discharged due to drug abuse.

c.  The number of patients discharged due to drug diversion.

d.  The number of patients treated at the pain clinic whose domicile is located somewhere other

OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS:
Your next reporting period is the month of October and you will be reporting for the period July 1, 2011 – September 30, 2011.

ALLOPATHIC PHYSICIANS:
Your first reporting period is the month of October and you will be reporting for the period July 1, 2011 – September 30, 2011.
New Service Available for Data Reporting

We have now made data reporting easy for you with an online service.  Simply follow these steps:

• Go to http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/index.html
• Click on Login on the right side of the screen
• The Designated Physician will login under his/her user id and pass code (same one used to renew medical license).  If the physician does not remember the user name or password, have him/her go to the login web page.  From there, the physician will select Get Login Help.  If the physician is still unable to get logged in, then have him/her call (850) 488-0595 for assistance.
• Once logged in, select the clinic data will be reported for and follow the online instructions to input the data.
• Be sure to print your submission when prompted.

Recent changes to Section 458.3265 and Section 459.0137(2)(e), Florida Statutes, which became effective July 1,2011, require Medical and Osteopathic physicians to advise the Board of Medicine within 10 calendar days of beginning or ending practice at a pain-management clinic.

We have made this easy for your physicians.  By going to www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa physicians can login to Medical Quality Assurance Online Services and create a relationship with your clinic.

Simply have the physician login using his/her user name and password (same one used to renew the medical license ).  If the physician does not remember the user name or password, have him/her go to the login web page.  From there, the physician will select Get Login Help.  If the physician is still unable to get logged in, then have him/her call (850) 488-0595 for assistance.

Once logged in, follow these instructions to establish the relationship between the physician and the pain-management clinic:

• Select Maintain Related Licenses from the list on the left hand side of the screen
• Complete the online instructions for adding (or deleting) relationships
• Be sure to print the page when you are done for your records

At any time, the physician may use the View Relationship Summary located on the same web page to see a list of all relationships.