Press Advisory On Medical Practice Board

News Conference
Monday May 24^th, 1:00 P.M.
WCAX Conference Room, 9 Baldwin Street, Montpelier

Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz, along with Medical Practice Board Chair, John Mazuzan and Vermont Medical Society Executive Director Karen Meyer, will convene a news conference for the purpose of discussing H.112, "An Act Relating to The Medical Practice Board." This Act, which was recently signed into law by the Governor, resolves long standing issues of oversight of the Medical Practice Board and the relationship between the Board and the Secretary of State’s Office.

The Press Conference will be held on Monday May 24^th at 1:00 p.m., in the WCAX conference room at 9 Baldwin Street in Montpelier.

Contact: Thuy (Twee) Nguyen (Win), 828-2148

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PRESS RELEASE

 For immediate release
Contact:  Thuy Nguyen (802-828-2148)
May 24, 1999

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Medical Practice Board to Return to Secretary of State's Office

Secretary Markowitz Touts Medical Practice Board Agreement

On Monday, May 24, 1999, Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, joined by Dr. John Mazuzan, Chair of the Medical Practice Board, and Karen Meyer, Executive Director of the Medical Society, disclosed the agreement that has returned oversight of the Medical Practice Board to the Secretary of State. According to Secretary of State Markowitz, the parties "worked together to craft an agreement that will finally resolve long standing issues of accountability and public protection in the oversight of Vermont’s Medical profession." Markowitz said, "with the support of Governor, Howard Dean, Representative Jerry Kreitzer, and Senator Bill Doyle, the Medical Practice Board will now return to the Secretary of State’s Office."

The Medical Practice Board licenses all physicians who practice in Vermont and investigates and refers to the Attorney General for prosecution, complaints of unprofessional conduct. In 1990, as a result of a lawsuit brought against the Secretary of State’s Office by the Board, the Medical Practice Board became independent. According to Markowitz, "Over the past nine years the legislature has regularly debated the proper place for the medical practice board. Shortly after I took office, Dr. Mazuzan and I decided to see if we could possibly find a way to put this debate to rest."

Markowitz said "when we sat down to discuss the board we decided to follow the old Vermont adage, "if it aint broke – don’t fix it." Accordingly, the Agreement between the Medical Practice Board and my office recognizes that Vermonters deserve to have independent oversight of the Board that regulates our Doctors, but that meaningful oversight does not need to come at the expense of the operational efficiency." Dr Mazuzan said "as an independent board we made great gains in reducing our backlog of cases, and the time it takes to resolve complaints, but nevertheless, some oversight by the Secretary of State’s Office is necessary for assuring public confidence in the board and in our decisions."

According to H.112 which was signed into law on May 13^th, and the Memorandum of Agreement between the Secretary of State and the Medical Practice Board:

• The Board will continue to maintain operational independence by managing its own finances, hiring and directing the day-to-day activities of investigators and support staff, and contracting with the Attorney General’s Office for prosecutorial services.

• The Secretary of State is has authority, with consultation of the board, to hire and fire the executive director.

• The Secretary of State’s is given access to all documents (of course, under the same statutory obligations of confidentiality as the Board has,) and is able to review the intake, investigation, analysis and resolution of complaints as well as identify problem areas involving process, staffing, or budget issues, and to work through the executive director to implement changes in the problem areas.

Secretary Markowitz said "While the vast majority of Vermont’s physicians are competent and dedicated doctors, it is critical that the public has confidence that doctors who violate the standards of the profession, who may endanger the health and well being of those entrusted to their care, are not permitted to practice in Vermont. Bringing the Medical Practice Board back to the Office of the Secretary of State will increase public confidence in the board, and will enhance Board accountability and will streamline the provision of professional regulation services to better protect the health and welfare of people of Vermont."

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