THURSDAY, June 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Nine states have enacted the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact law, with the seventh state's enactment triggering formation of a commission to administer a process for physicians seeking licensure in multiple states, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
The signing of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact into law in Alabama on May 19 triggered the formation of an Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission. The commission will administer a new process for physicians wishing to become licensed in multiple states participating in the compact.
By offering a system of expedited licensure that member states can control, the compact is intended to reduce barriers to multistate practice. Each medical license will still be issued by a state medical board, and any license obtained through the expedited procedure will provide the same parameters as those provided by the state board. However, the process for obtaining each license will be streamlined. The compact is likely to enhance license portability and facilitate telemedicine, thereby expanding patient access to health care.
"The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact will ease the physician shortage in rural and other underserved areas," Larry Dixon, executive director of the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, said in a news release from the Federation of State Medical Boards. "We thank Gov. Bentley and the state lawmakers for moving swiftly and prudently to establish a new era of care, patient protections, and physician licensing."
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