A. The board shall:

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 32-1803

  • Action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Address of record: means either:

    (a) The address where a person who is regulated pursuant to this chapter practices medicine or is otherwise employed. See Arizona Laws 32-1800

  • Board: means the Arizona board of osteopathic examiners in medicine and surgery. See Arizona Laws 32-1800
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Letter of concern: means an advisory letter to notify a physician that while there is insufficient evidence to support disciplinary action against the physician's license there is sufficient evidence for the board to notify the physician of its concern. See Arizona Laws 32-1800
  • Medical assistant: means an unlicensed person who has completed an educational program approved by the board, who assists in a medical practice under the supervision of a doctor of osteopathic medicine and who performs delegated procedures commensurate with the assistant's education and training but who does not diagnose, interpret, design or modify established treatment programs or violate any statute. See Arizona Laws 32-1800
  • Medicine: means osteopathic medicine as practiced by a person who receives a degree of doctor of osteopathy. See Arizona Laws 32-1800
  • Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Physician: means a doctor of osteopathy who holds a license, a permit or a locum tenens registration to practice osteopathic medicine pursuant to this chapter. See Arizona Laws 32-1800
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Arizona Laws 1-215

1. Protect the public from unlawful, incompetent, unqualified, impaired and unprofessional practitioners of osteopathic medicine.

2. Issue licenses, conduct hearings, place physicians on probation, revoke or suspend licenses, enter into stipulated orders, issue letters of concern or decrees of censure and administer and enforce this chapter.

3. Maintain a record of its acts and proceedings, including the issuance, denial, renewal, suspension or revocation of licenses to practice according to this chapter. The board shall delete records of complaints only as follows:

(a) If the board dismisses a complaint, the board shall delete the public record of the complaint five years after the board dismissed the complaint.

(b) If the board has issued a letter of concern but has taken no further action on the complaint, the board shall delete the public record of the complaint five years after the board issued the letter of concern.

(c) If the board has required additional continuing medical education pursuant to section 32-1855 but has not taken further action, the board shall delete the public record of the complaint five years after the person satisfies this requirement.

4. Maintain a public directory of all physicians and surgeons who are or were licensed pursuant to this chapter that includes:

(a) The name of the physician.

(b) The physician’s current or last known address of record.

(c) The date and number of the license issued to the physician pursuant to this chapter.

(d) The date the license is scheduled to expire if not renewed or the date the license expired or was revoked, suspended or canceled.

(e) Any disciplinary actions taken against the physician by the board.

(f) Letters of concern, remedial continuing medical education ordered and dismissals of complaints against the physician until deleted from the public record pursuant to paragraph 3 of this subsection.

5. Adopt rules regarding the regulation, qualifications and training of medical assistants. The training requirements for a medical assistant may be satisfied through a training program that meets all of the following:

(a) Is designed and offered by a physician.

(b) Meets or exceeds any of the approved training program requirements specified in rule.

(c) Verifies the entry-level competencies of a medical assistant as prescribed by rule.

(d) Provides written verification to the individual of successful completion of the program.

6. Discipline and rehabilitate osteopathic physicians.

7. Determine whether a prospective or current Arizona licensed physician has the training or experience to demonstrate the physician’s ability to treat and manage opiate-dependent patients as a qualifying physician pursuant to 21 United States Code § 823(g)(2)(G)(ii).

8. Issue registrations to administer general anesthesia and sedation in dental offices and dental clinics pursuant to section 32-1272 to physicians who have completed residency training in anesthesiology.

B. The public records of the board are open to inspection at all times during office hours.

C. The board may:

1. Adopt rules necessary or proper to administer this chapter.

2. Appoint one of its members to the jurisdiction arbitration panel pursuant to section 32-2907, subsection B.

3. Accept and spend federal monies and private grants, gifts, contributions and devises. These monies do not revert to the state general fund at the end of a fiscal year.

4. Develop and publish advisory opinions and standards governing the profession.

D. The board shall adopt and use a seal, the imprint of which, together with the signature of either the president, vice president or executive director, is evidence of its official acts.

E. In conducting investigations pursuant to this chapter, the board may receive and review confidential internal staff reports relating to complaints and malpractice claims.

F. The board may make available to academic and research organizations public records regarding statistical information on doctors of osteopathic medicine and applicants for licensure.

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