As a medical professional, keeping your professional license in good standing is a daily effort, evidenced by the quality of care that you provide to your patients. However, it is also important to consider the license renewal application process.
Every two years, a licensed health care professional must renew his or her license via an application. Yet the disclosures made on that application might carry legal consequences. For example, certain questions on the application inquire about changed circumstances, including whether an individual was arrested or convicted of any felony or misdemeanor crime since his or her previous license renewal.
Although a health care professional has an ethical duty to provide truthful responses on a renewal application, he or she also has certain rights. We recommend a consultation with a professional license defense attorney before submitting a renewal application. Our Philadelphia law firm focuses on this area of law, so we are up-to-date on the duties, obligations and options that are available during the renewal process.
For example, an arrest related to drugs or alcohol might result in a letter from a voluntary recovery program. In Pennsylvania, this agency is called the Professional Health Monitoring Program. Participation generally affords an individual the chance to receive treatment outside of the public eye, followed by assessment from the applicable licensing board. Although an individual may have to temporarily suspend his or her practice, the privacy option may outweigh the short-term inconvenience.
For a more in-depth discussion of the renewal process as it applies to specific health care professions, as well as sample renewal applications, take a moment to review our law firm’s website.
Related Article: “License Renewal Applications,” copyright 2017, Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn