California Medical Board

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California’s Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System, or C.U.R.E.S. (CURES) for short, is a prescription monitoring program aggregating DEA Schedule II, II and IV prescriptions.  Maintained by the California Department of Justice and primarily used by physicians, podiatrists, dentists, physician assistants, optometrists, nurse practitioners, pharmacies and pharmacists, C.U.R.E.S. represents a massive, relatively…

The Department of Consumer Affairs, or DCA, is a California state government department that is the umbrella organization over almost all California state licensing agencies, from the Medical Board of California  to the California Board of Accountancy.  If a California licensing agency receives a complaint or notice of alleged unprofessional conduct alleged to…

The California Medical Board received 8,679 complaints in fiscal year 2015-16 according to its latest comprehensive enforcement activity report.  During that same period, 299 accusations were filed by the Medical Board of California.  Medical license defense cases came from complaints overwhelmingly from the public, but also from complaints from license and professional groups and other…

The Medical Board of California investigates complaints against physicians using its team of investigators who work from its headquarters in Sacramento and from its field offices.  Complaints may come from CURES reports reviews, 805 reports, lawsuits, or patient complaints.  For many complaints, an assigned investigator will contact the physician and ask the physician to…

Since late 2015, the Medical Board of California and the California Board of Pharmacy have begun to increase enforcement actions and penalties for perceived overprescribing of prescription drugs, particularly opioid drugs such as hydrocodone and oxycodone (Vicodin and OxyContin/Percocet).  High-profile celebrity deaths due to opioid overdose, coupled with rising addiction rates nationwide, have…

Our firm just received a decision from the fourth consecutive disciplinary case against a physician by the Medical Board of California.  The physician was already on probation, and in two prior cases, the physician’s probation had been extended.  The Board accused the physician of misconduct while on probation, and forced the physician to make statements…

The California Medical Board routinely investigates criminal convictions and often even criminal arrests suffered by California physicians.  These investigations are handled by Board investigators out of field offices throughout California, including offices in Tustin, Cerritos and Valencia in southern California.  Thoughtful preparation for one of these interviews can make the difference between receiving a career…

A license law attorney brings a long-term perspective of potential future license consequences that can educate the criminal defense attorney and his client. One of the biggest mistakes that physicians make is to fail to appreciate the serious fallout and lasting career damage that can result from a criminal investigation or prosecution.…
Continue Reading Building a Defense Against California Medical Board Discipline Triggered by Criminal Matters