Teh Associated Press
TOPEKA —
TOPEKA (AP) — Legislation to improve the operations of the Board of Healing Arts that regulates doctors was signed Wednesday by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.
The new law will allow the board to take action quicker once questions are raised about a physician, making sanctions possible after a single complaint. It takes effect July 1.In the past, the board had said state law required it to document a pattern before sanctioning a doctor for substandard care. Legislators complained the board moved too slowly in some cases.Legislators passed the bill partly because of complaints about how the board handled the case of a Haysville physician accused by federal prosecutors of running a “pill mill.”Federal prosecutors link Stephen Schneider to 56 deaths. He faces 34 federal charges, including four counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death. He maintains his innocence and is free on bond.Before passing the bill, the Legislature unanimously adopted resolutions for changes on the board. That was partly in response to Schneider’s medical license not being suspended until January, a month after a federal grand jury indicted him.The board’s executive director, Larry Buening, and chief counsel, Mark Stafford, subsequently resigned. Both will leave by July 1.The bill also allows the board to require a license applicant to be fingerprinted and submit to a state and federal criminal background check. It also mandates that the board set up an easily accessible Web site so the public can get information about physicians.Healing Arts bill is Conference Committee Report for HB 2620.On the Net:Kansas Legislature: www.kslegislature.org
