Commission meetings (including meetings of the executive committee) are publicized through the participating states. The compact commission shares meeting notices and press releases with the federation of state medical boards and the national center for interstate compacts/council of state governments. Compact commission meetings are open to the public and include a telephone conference call for individuals who cannot attend in person. It is possible that video conferencing also might be used in the future.
 

Yes. Member states have begun issuing licenses.

Mostly, the compact commission will act as an information exchange between a home state/state of principal license and a receiving state. The IMLC also envisions the compact commission as the entity that collects fees from physicians and transfers licensure fees to receiving states.

Issuing licenses to qualified physicians once notified by the compact commission and depositing license fees when received from the compact commission. State medical boards participating in the compact are required to share complaint/investigative information with each other.

Under the IMLC, the process would repeat exactly as it operated the first time. However, thecompact commission could write rules about this subject. (None are contemplated at this time.)

A physician must apply to a state within the compact where the physician already has a license. That state becomes the physician’s state of principal license or “home state.” The home state reviews the physician’s qualifications and shares the results with the compact commission. The compact commission then notifies the “receiving state(s)” within the compact where the physician wishes to be licensed.

A law suit can be filed by anyone for anything at any time. The immunity Laws / Rules give a complainant who files a complaint in good faith an affirmative defense against a law suit.

No, the Medical Commission does not have the authority to invoke or enforce criminal or civil penalties. Authority is limited to taking corrective action against a physician or physician assistants license in order to prevent harm and protect the health and safety of the public.

Anyone who has knowledge of a physician or physician assistant’s unprofessional conduct may file a report.

There are two ways to get the complaint record of your provider.  The first option is requesting thru the public disclosure by going to this website . You can also a request a record via mail by submitting a written request to Department of Health, Public Disclosure Unit, PO Box 47865, Olympia, Washington 98504-7865. The second option is searching the portal for disciplinary documents.

Under some circumstances, the Medical Commission can require a physician or physician assistant to refund fees collected from the consumer. However, the Medical Commission does not have jurisdiction in matters of malpractice compensation. Malpractice must be pursued in civil court.

No. There is no statutory time limit in which to file a complaint; however, it is possible that a case cannot be acted upon because the information needed to make a decision is no longer available. It is best to report as soon as possible so the records can be obtained and potential witnesses can be located. It is a good idea to make a written note of the circumstances soon after the experience so facts are not forgotten. When submitting a complaint, be as specific as you can with the facts and dates.

Yes, a medical provider can terminate the physician-patient relationship just as a patient can end the relationship if he/she/they feel it is no longer mutually productive. The provider cannot abandon a patient and generally must provide 30 days of emergency care or provide care until the patient establishes care with a new provider.

• Help you bring suit against a physician or physician assistant for money.
• Handle a fee dispute between you and your physician or physician assistant.
• Discipline a physician or physician assistant who is not required to be regulated by the Medical Commission.
• Return any money you feel you are owed.
• Resolve questions about disability compensation or insurance reimbursement.
• Resolve issues involving rudeness by a physician or physician assistant or their staff.
• Resolve issues involving typing errors, miscommunication, or a mistake of facts.

You will likely be asked to sign a release to waive your right to confidentiality so that your complaint can be investigated. Additional information may be asked of you, either by letter or interview during the investigation. You may be required to testify if a formal hearing is necessary.

You can download your application from our Application and Forms page.

How to reach us:

Washington State is currently under a Governor proclaimed State of Emergency. To provide the best customer service during this time, we recommend emailing all application questions to Medical.Commission@wmc.wa.gov.

If you do not have access to email, you may also leave a voice message with your name and contact number at 360-236-2750. A licensing specialist will respond to you within one business day.

At this time, we ask that you please refrain from contacting us about the status of an application or to request we expedite an application. We are currently unable to provide immediate responses regarding application status.

If you would like to see that your application was received and is pending, please visit the Department of Health’s Provider Credential Search.

We are looking for Emergency Volunteers! If you are a practitioner who has a license in good standing in another state and want to volunteer, learn more on the Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners page.

Yes. According to previous standards adopted for practice agreements, which were more restrictive, it is allowed. Therefore, the Washington Medical Commission (WMC) interprets that a single collaboration agreement can cover more than one PA working under the same supervising physician, as long as each PA has an individual collaboration agreement.

It is the responsibility of the licensee to renew their license, whether the notice has been received or not. (WAC 246-12-030)The license is expired if it is not renewed on or before the expiration date. Any renewal received by the department that is postmarked or presented after midnight on the expiration date is late and the licensee is required to pay the late fee. There is no grace period for renewal of a license.

Yes. Physician assistants who want an Osteopath physician their primary physician must apply through the Washington Medical Commission. 

The average processing time for a license application is approximately up to 12 weeks.

A remote site is either a setting physically separate from the physician’s primary place for meeting patients OR a setting where the physician will be present less that 25 percent of the physician assistant’s practice time. Whether a physician assistant is utilized across town or next door, if it is physically separate, it’s a remote site. In addition, if a physician assistant is employed full time at 40 hours perweek but the physician is on site less than 10 of those hours, it becomes a remote site. (WAC 246-918-120) 
 

Go to www.veridoc.org and follow the instructions to create and send verification. Veridoc sends verifications immediately. The fee is $60.00.

Depending on the circumstances and the time you have been out of the practice, the Commission may require an individual to pass the Special Purpose Examination (SPEX) given by the Federation of State Medical Boards. (WAC 246-919-370) Generally, if you have been out of practice for a period of 2 years or longer, the Commission will need to see some kind of evidence that you have kept current with medical knowledge.

The average processing time for a license application is up to 12 weeks. 

Please refer to Washington Administrative Code WAC 246-919-430 through 470 regarding continuing medical education (CME) requirements for physicians. Please also refer to WAC 246-12, Administrative Procedures and Requirements for Credentialed Health Care Providers. Part 7 of this chapter specifically addresses CME, when it is required, how to prove compliance, auditing, acceptable auditing documentation, exemptions, how credit hours are determined, carrying over CME credits, and taking the same course more than once during a reporting cycle. The requirements of WAC 246-12 apply to all health care practitioners; use will be in conjunction with WAC 246-919-430, for physicians.

The average processing time for a license application is about four weeks

According to RCW 43.70.442(11), a state or local government employee is exempt from the training requirement if he/she/they receives at least six hours of training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management from his/her/their employer.The training may be in one six-hour block or may be spread among shorter training sessions at the employer’s discretion.The statute did not exempt federal employees

There is no requirement to send proof of completion of the training to the Commission. The Commission does not conduct audits for completion of required continuing medical education and will not conduct audits for completion of suicide prevention training. However, during the course of investigating a complaint, the Commission may request proof of completion of CME and completion of a suicide prevention training course. 

If you have further questions or concerns please contact the Commission’s Program Manager, Amelia Boyd, at (360) 236-2727 or amelia.boyd@wmc.wa.gov.

If you would like to be notified of the Commission’s rulemaking activities please subscribe to our Rules GovDelivery.
 

RCW 43.70.442 permits a disciplining authority may exempt a professional from the training requirements if the professional “has only brief or limited patient contact.” The Commission passed a rule exempting allopathic physicians and physician assistants from the training requirement if thephysician or physician assistant “has only brief or limited patient contact, or no patient contact.” The rule does not define “brief or limited patient contact.” Each allopathic physician or physician assistant will have to determine whether he/she/they meets this exemption.

You must take training listed on the Department of Health model list in order to satisfy the requirement.

Your provider must document any reason for altering an existing treatment plan and discuss any plans to taper your dosage with you.

Yes. If you prescribe opioids in Washington you must register with the PMP or demonstrate proof of access to the program. Learn how to register here.

No. Rules created in 2012 govern the management of chronic, non-cancer pain. Rules for MDs cover WAC 246-919-850 through 863 and PAs WAC 246-918-800 through 813.

Yes. If you prescribe opioids in Washington you must complete a continuing medical education course. The course is one-time for at least one-hour. It must be completed by the end of your first full CME reporting period after January 1, 2019. Or, it may be reported during your first full CME reporting period after getting your license.

The rules for prescribing opioids state, “The inappropriate treatment of pain is a departure from standards of practice.” For the purpose of these rules that includes:

• Nontreatment;
• Undertreatment;
• Overtreatment, and;
• The continued use of ineffective treatments.

Your provider has the right to discontinue treatment, just as you, the patient, can decide to no longer see the provider. Your doctor should refer you to a pain management specialist or a new primary care physician. Your provider should give you a 30-day notice and 30-days worth of medications before discontinuing treatment.

The Medical Commission does not maintain a list of these tools. However, any tool that is professionally developed would meet the requirement of the rule. Appendix B (pg.59) of the AMDG Interagency Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Pain has a list of validated tools for screening and assessment.