AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Friday, January 24, 2003

BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS

Bill would beef up the board

AUSTIN — Sen. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, filed a bill Thursday that he hopes will restore Texans' trust in doctors.

The proposal would improve the infrastructure of the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, which disciplines licensed physicians in the state. The board has been heavily criticized for disciplinary issues.

Since 1997, the state Board of Medical Examiners has revoked no licenses because of medical errors, and it has punished a handful of doctors for sexual misconduct and drug abuse.

Janek's bill increases the size of the Board of Medical Examiners from 18 to 21, adding two public members and another doctor. It would establish a $15 surcharge on medical licensing fees to help pay for investigations and set timetables for how quickly the board must investigate and resolve complaints against doctors and other medical professionals.

The bill also would require the board to report annually on the status of all complaints that have been filed.

"There are a variety of reasons for the problems at the Board of Medical Examiners, including inadequate funding and state laws that put the Board at a disadvantage in trying to police bad doctors," Janek said. "The provisions in my bill address those reasons."

— Staff and wire reports

http://www.statesman.com/hp/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0103/0124brfs.html