Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

Senate Bill 6, signed into law by Governor DeWine on June 29, 2021, authorizes the State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) to enter into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Ohio becomes the 35th state to become a member of the Compact. Physicians (MDs and DOs) from any state with Compact membership, including Ohio, who meet the qualifications will be eligible for licensure in any other participating state. Senate Bill 6 gives the SMBO until September 29, 2022 to implement the system to begin processing and issuing licenses through this path.

 

The board has created internal work groups to assist with the establishment and implementation of this new licensure path. Report-outs from the internal work groups are shared at the board’s monthly meeting.

 

The SMBO looks forward to working as part of the Compact to create an additional avenue for the licensing of physicians. We will keep you and your associations aware of our implementation plans as they develop over the next year. Those plans will include a ‘go live’ date for Ohio, as well as instructions on how to participate.

 

Additional information on the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact can be found here. If you have additional questions, please email contact@med.ohio.gov.

As a licensee of the State Medical Board of Ohio, you have a statutory and ethical duty to report misconduct. You are obligated to report violations of law, rule and code of ethics standards to the Medical Board. Examples of misconduct include, but are not limited to, sexual misconduct, impairment, practice below the minimal standards of care, and improper prescribing of controlled substances. If you suspect or have observed inappropriate behavior by a health care professional or colleague, you should contact your local law enforcement immediately and file a complaint with the State 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. 

 

If the board discovers you failed to report a colleague’s misconduct, you may be disciplined by the board, up to and including permanent license revocation, and you may be ordered to pay fines up to $20,000.

 

Effective May 31, 2021, MDs, DOs and DPMs are required to complete one hour of Continuing Medical Education (CME) prior to renewal on the topic of a licensee’s duty to report misconduct. The enforcement of this requirement will commence with renewal applications submitted on or after July 1, 2021. The board has created a one-hour course designed to educate physicians (MDs, DOs, DPMs) on the duty to report to the State Medical Board of Ohio. 

 

To file a complaint you can visit med.ohio.gov or call the board’s confidential complaint hotline at 1-833-333-SMBO (7626). Remember, provisions in the Ohio Revised Code make all complaints received by the board confidential.

 

You can read more about your duty to report and the CME requirement on our website.