CLEAR

North Carolina engineering board agrees MOU with Bahamian equivalent, facilitating national exam candidacies

The North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bahamas Professional Engineers Board that will allow Bahamian engineers to sit for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Professional Engineer exam when it is offered in the state. Michael Moss, Chairman of the Bahamas Professional Engineers Board said "The North Carolina Board recently amended their Statute to allow applicants with foreign experience to be considered for licensure. This allowed the North Carolina Board to consider the request from the Bahamas Board. As a consequence, Bahamian Engineers, through application to the Bahamas Board, will be allowed to sit the NCEES licensure examination administered by the North Carolina Board. This is the first time the North Carolina Board has entered
into this type of relationship and as such truly makes it an historical accomplishment."

Study measures licensing "burden" across the U.S., focuses on low and moderate-income occupations

The Institute of Justice, a Virginia-based libertarian law firm, has produced a new report, License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing, which it describes as "the first national study to measure how burdensome occupational licensing laws are for lower-income workers and aspiring entrepreneurs". The report focuses on licensing requirements for more than 100 occupations across the U.S., and concludes "on average, these licenses force aspiring workers to spend nine months in education or training, pass one exam and pay more than $200 in fees.  One third of the licenses take more than a year to earn.  At least one exam is required for 79 of the occupations." The report's executive summary suggests interior design is the most difficult of the occupations studied to enter, that Louisiana licenses the largest percentage of these occupations ,that the average licensing requirements are highest in Hawaii and lowest in Pennsylvania, and that Arizona and California are the "most widely and onerously licensed states."

License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing.

Executive Summary.

South Carolina HHS data breach prompts audit, renewed focus on security

South Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services recently suffered a major data breach, involving the transfer of 228,435 Medicaid beneficiaries' personal data to an employee's private email account and at least one other party. A three-week independent audit of the agency's security procedures and technology will begin shortly, but for now sister agency, the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, is reportedly preventing employees from accessing their personal e-mail accounts from the agency, and has disabled access to all computer USB ports.

Department of Health and Human Services press release.

Philippines lawmaker claims 40 percent reduction in number of nurses seeking work in the U.S.

Representative Arnel Ty has suggested that the number of Filipino nurses seeking to work in the United States is declining rapidly. Representative Ty said that 863 Filipino took the NCLEX exam between January to March this year, which is down from 1,454 the previous year. “The number also represents only 17 percent of the 5,076 Filipino nurses who took the US test in the first quarter of 2007 at the height of the nursing boom,” he noted. He suggested that while demand for nurses in weak, there is substantial need for physical therapists. Representative Ty made his remarks as part of efforts to promote legislation to revive the Nurses Assigned in Rural Service (NARS), an initiative to place additional nurses in the country’s 1,000 poorest towns.

Florida Department of Health Investigative Services Unit warns of fraudulent correspondence

The Florida Department of Health Investigative Services Unit has released an example of a fraudulent letter that has been sent to pharmacies, purportedly from the Unit. Indications that the letters are forged include:

•  Letterhead is incorrect, footer is missing entirely
•  Significant number of grammatical errors, misspellings, poor choice of words
•  No return address
•  Phone number for questions incorrect, not Board office number

Sample fraudulent letter.

UK Medical Regulator: 1 in 20 prescriptions from family doctors contains an error

The United Kingdom General Medical Council has issued a report, The PRACtICe Study (PRevalence And Causes of prescrIbing errors in general practiCe) showing that while most prescriptions from General Practitioners (family doctors) are effectively monitored and appropriately written, approximately 1 in 20 contain an error. While most errors were classed as mild or moderate, the study found 1 in every 550 prescriptions included a serious error. The report identifies the most common errors as missing information on dosage, the prescription of an incorrect dosage, and failure to ensure that patients were provided sufficient monitoring through blood tests. The researchers recommended an increased role for pharmacists working with family doctors, an improved use of computer systems and additional emphasis on prescribing in medical training.

GMC Press Release.

U.S. Federal Trade Commission supports Louisiana bill removing requirement for collaborative practice agreements for Advanced Practice Nurses in underserved areas

U.S. Federal Trade Commission staff have written in support of Louisiana House Bill 951, which would remove the requirement that certain Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who practice in medically underserved areas or treat medically underserved populations have written "collaborative practice" agreements with physicians before they can offer healthcare services within the APRN's scope of practice. According to the Commission staff, such agreements can be costly and difficult to put in place. The letter contends that removing these restrictions "may improve access and consumer choice for primary care services, especially for rural and other underserved populations, and may also encourage beneficial price competition that could help contain health care costs".

FTC staff letter

Louisiana House Bill 951.

Maine legislature active in professional regulation, including recognition of military training and experience

An overview of Maine's legislative activity related to professional regulation highlights LD 1850 for its significance in assisting returning veterans who apply for licensure. The act, signed into law on April 6, requires that the Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation identify legislation or other measures to the Governor and the Legislature to help veterans secure professional licenses related to their military training and experience. The overview also notes a simplification of veterinary licensing requirements, and the creation of a limited barber licensing program.

Minnesota Department of Health reports 325 per cent increase in drug thefts at hospitals, produces new resources for providers, regulators

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has produced a report, as part of a coalition of interested parties, into drug diversion by medical professionals, which includes data showing a 325 per cent increase in reports of theft or loss of controlled substances in health care facilities across the state between 2006 and 2010. The report includes tools, including a road map of best practices, sample policies and procedures, and a flow chart of reporting requirements. According to the report, the controlled substances most frequently diverted were hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, morphine sulfate, and fentanyl.

Press release

Final report

Road Map to Controlled Substance Diversion Prevention

Controlled Substance Diversion Prevention Toolkit.

Texas Appeals Court upholds some limits on chiropractors, but permits some diagnosis

A Texas Appeals Court has ruled that chiropractors must restrict diagnostic activity to spinal and musculoskeletal problems, that they may not perform manipulations under anesthesia and an invasive diagnostic test called needle electromyography. However, the court reversed a lower court judge's ruling that prevented chiropractors from ever offering a diagnosis. The Texas Medical Association is to consider whether an appeal of the ruling is appropriate, in the long-running dispute.

Ruling.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/04/18/3895065/appeals-court-partly-upholds-limits.html#storylink=cpy