Terms Used In Florida Statutes 459.017

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Department: means the Department of Health. See Florida Statutes 459.003
  • 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.
  • Osteopathic physician: means a person who is licensed to practice osteopathic medicine in this state. See Florida Statutes 459.003
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
Every osteopathic physician who accepts a license or certificate to practice osteopathic medicine in this state shall, by so accepting the license or certificate or by making and filing a renewal of licensure or certification to practice in this state, be deemed to have given her or his consent during a lawful investigation of a complaint to the following:

(1) To render a handwriting sample to an agent of the department and, further, to have waived any objections to its use as evidence against her or him.
(2) To waive the confidentiality and authorize the preparation and release of all medical reports pertaining to the mental or physical condition of the osteopathic physician herself or himself when the department has reason to believe that a violation of this chapter has occurred and when the department issues an order, based on the need for additional information, to produce such medical reports for the time period relevant to the complaint. As used in this section, the term “medical reports” means a compilation of medical treatment of the osteopathic physician herself or himself, including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment prescribed, relevant history, and progress.
(3) To waive any objection to the admissibility of the medical reports as constituting privileged communications. Such material maintained by the department shall remain confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) until probable cause is found and an administrative complaint issued.