What is the Compliance Monitoring Program? 

Physicians or Physician Assistants who are under disciplinary action enter the Compliance Monitoring Program (CMP). Examples of disciplinary action include Agreed Order (AO) and Stipulation to Informal Disposition (STID). Disciplinary actions define sanctions such as required evaluation(s), remediation, education or rehabilitation. The CMP is responsible for assuring that respondents are compliant with their disciplinary actions. There are typically 170 respondents in the Compliance Monitoring Program at any given time, with 50 new respondents entering each year.

What does the Compliance Monitoring process look like? 

Newly sanctioned respondents participate in a compliance orientation, where the CMP staff review the AO or STID with the respondent in detail, explain the Medical Commission’s expectations and address the respondent’s questions and concerns. Respondents must make at least one personal appearance before the Medical Commission panel each year, and typically subsequent annual appearances. At the personal appearance, the respondent is expected to discuss his/her/their achievements and challenges under disciplinary action and respond to questions and comments from the Medical Commission panel. More than 70 respondents appear before the Medical Commission annually.

What is a practice review? 

Respondents whose disciplinary action includes violations of the standard of care are often compelled to undergo periodic practice reviews over the course of their term. Medical Commission staff visit the respondent’s practice, interview the respondent and staff, and collect a representative sample of medical records pertinent to the issues that precipitated the complaint and case. Approximately 60 practice reviews are performed annually and each respondent typically undergoes 2 or more practice reviews during their term. 

Through the processes described above, the Compliance Monitoring Program has established a reputation for integrity, courtesy and diligence, which has in turn served its mission to protect the public, by encouraging respondents to fully engage in compliance with Medical Commission mandated evaluation, education, remediation.