The Kansas legislature amended the Healing Arts Statute in 2015. The statutory amendments are designed to address certain failings of the previous statutory provisions. Furthermore, the amended sections align statutory regulations with the reality of the practice of medicine today. The amendments impose more severe criminal punishments for practicing medicine without a license as well […]
A recently enacted bill allows medical school graduates to practice medicine in collaboration with supervising physicians. The statute, known as Section 334.036, permits assistant physicians to practice medicine in rural or underserved locations in Missouri. The law facilitates delivery of health care services to citizens who have little or no opportunity to avail themselves of […]
On January 11, 2016, amendments to the regulations governing physician assistants in Kansas became effective. Generally speaking, the new regulations permit greater flexibility to physician assistants in some aspects while placing greater responsibility on the attending physician. The goal of the amendments is better patient care. Being aware of the changes is vitally important to […]
Professional engineers who affix their seal to plans for a structure must proceed with caution. The engineer may become liable for subordinates’ or other licensees’ mistakes. Therefore, professional engineers must take every precaution to make certain that subordinates’ plans as well as plans drafted by other licensees satisfy the standards in the profession. Failure to […]
Medical professionals must learn very private details of their patients’ lives to properly treat them. Likewise, patients must trust their physicians with intimate and private information so they get the care they deserve. Both patient and care giver understand and rely upon the confidentiality which is essential to proper medical care. In the ordinary case, […]
Adverse action against a professional license can be appealed to a higher court for review. In Kansas, an administrative law judge makes findings and rulings at a hearing. The administrative law judge’s findings of fact and rulings of law must be based upon the evidence produced by the licensing authority at a hearing. The licensee […]
The Missouri Board of Architecture, Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Landscape Architects (“the Board”) provides an invaluable service to the public. The Board ensures that the professionals who plan and construct the buildings in which we live, work, and play are competent and properly licensed. The Board establishes the ethical duties of its member licensees as […]
In Kansas, a physician can be tried for murder for over-administering painkillers designed to relieve chronic and/or acute pain. From a pure ethical prospective, palliative care must not be denied to a suffering patient. Over-prescribing, with the intent to kill, however, may cross the line of sound medical ethics to murder. This intersection of medical […]
The Kansas Board of Accountancy (“the Board”) enjoys superintendence power over all Certified Public Accounts (CPAs) in Kansas. The Board, created by Kansas statute, is charged with ensuring that CPAs ethically practice public accountancy according to the standards in the profession. The Board exercises its authority to investigate and discipline accountants who have allegedly violated […]
Nearly every ex parte conversation about a patient’s health is prohibited in Kansas and Missouri. Notwithstanding, physicians who practice medicine in both states are faced with conflicting rules relating to ex parte conversations in the context of litigation involving a patient. Physicians must do their level best to educate themselves on their ethical responsibilities owed […]