Medical board looks at regulations

Beth Slovic

Friday, June 4, 2004 | 9:22 a.m.

Under the direction of a new administrator, the state Board of Medical Examiners began a public meeting today to discuss and vote on a range of topics concerning the board's regulation of doctors and doctor assistants in the state.

The administrator, Drennan A. Clark, who replaced Larry Lessly as the board's new executive secretary April 1, said he wants his group's efforts to be more transparent than under previous directors.

Responding to strong pressure from state legislators to communicate more openly with the public, doctors, and hospitals, Clark said the board has already made strides to address lawmakers' and the public's concerns.

The board is composed of nine members appointed by Gov. Kenny Guinn.

In 2002, Public Citizen, a liberal watchdog organization that rated the Web sites of all medical examiners in the nation, gave the state agency an F in the category of "user-friendliness" and a B in the category of "content." West Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia also earned failing grades in "user-friendliness."

During the 2003 legislative session, lawmakers in the state Senate approved a law that compelled the board to improve its Web site by posting information on disciplinary actions against physicians.

Sens. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, and Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas; and Assemblywoman Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, have criticized the board in the past for not informing the public of the board's progress in disciplining doctors when residents' complaints prompted investigations.

As a result of the lawmakers' criticisms, the board's Web site now includes information about each disciplinary action taken against physicians since 1988.

"We're trying to set the parameters for the public involvement and what the public should have access to," said O'Connell.

To help the public learn more about their health care providers, the board will continue to add information to its Web site, Clark said, including the educational background of its licensed physicians. That addition may be made in the next 60 days.