Effective June 27, 2010, a new regulation, mandated by Business and Professions Code section 138, will go into effect requiring physicians in California to inform their patients that they are licensed by the Medical Board of California, and include the board’s contact information. The information must read as follows.
NOTICE TO CONSUMERS
Medical doctors are licensed and regulated by the Medical Board of California
(800) 633-2322
www.mbc.ca.gov
The purpose of this new requirement (Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 1355.4) is to inform consumers where to go for information or with a complaint about California medical doctors.
Physicians may provide this notice by one of three methods:
Prominently posting a sign in an area of their offices conspicuous to patients, in at least 48-point type in Arial font. (See link “Sign for printing”, below, to print the actual notice.)
Including the notice in a written statement, signed and dated by the patient or patient’s representative, and kept in that patient’s file, stating the patient understands the physician is licensed and regulated by the board.
Including the notice in a statement on letterhead, discharge instructions, or other document given to a patient or the patient’s representative, where the notice is placed immediately above the signature line for the patient in at least 14-point type. The notice may be printed in sign form from the link below this article.
CCR 1355.4 (the actual regulation)
Presidio is providing this information as a courtesy for our California medical malpractice insurance clients.