Will rise again! Hawaii: the referral state.
Isles hailed for shielding patients from bad doctors
ByHelen Altonn
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Apr 24, 2010
[The medical board is charged with protecting the public from "dishonest, fraudulent or unskilled practitioners ... through legislative, executive and adjudicatory functions," Cabral explained.
The Regulated Industries Complaints Office, the board's enforcement arm, arbitrates, investigates and prosecutes licensing violation complaints.
Enforcement action could include formal prosecution, which might involve an administrative hearing before a hearings officer, or a proposed settlement could be proposed to the board for consideration.
The board determines the appropriate outcome and sanctions, including revocation, suspension, fine, censure, reprimand and probation.]
Jo Ann Uchida
Complaint and
enforcement officer,
Regulated Industries Complaints
Office
"We started sending staff to national training," said Jo Ann Uchida, complaint and enforcement officer in the regulatory office. "That really made a difference, getting an idea what other states were doing and networking with similar agencies.
"As we get more effective, we get more people willing to come in and complain," Uchida said.
Vernon says,
Ms. Uchida and the gang should have been trained in the difference between what is Regulated Industries kuleana and that of the Medical Board; the difference in review and refer; the meaning of jurisdiction.
