Michigan curbs board chairs’ power over investigations

As of July 1, none of the chairs of Michigan’s 27 health licensing boards will retain the power to unilaterally start or stop an investigation of a licensee. Review and approval of at least three board members is now required to authorize or stop a state licensing investigation, following passage of SB 575-578 signed into law April 4.  The bills were written amid evidence that a former medical board chair had halted investigations of a physician whose clinic had committee multiple public health code violations.

The new rules affect 400,000 professionals in the state including social workers, psychologists, massage therapists, physicians, psychologists, and others.  They also allow the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to overrule the disciplinary decision of a health licensing board disciplinary subcommittee, instead of letting the subcommittee have final say.