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Alabama Regulation of Physicians

The Alabama statutes under Code of Ala. § 34-24-330 to Code of Ala. § 34-24-508 deal with the regulations of physicians in the state.  Pursuant to the statutes, it shall be the duty of the State Board of Medical Examiners to issue a certificate of qualification to the Medical Licensure Commission certifying each applicant for a license who has successfully passed the required examination or whose application for a license or certificate of qualification by reciprocity has been acted upon favorably by said board, or whose application for a certificate of qualification without examination or application for reinstatement of a certificate of qualification has been acted upon favorably by said board.  Any applicant whose application either for an initial certificate of qualification or for reinstatement of a certificate of qualification is not acted upon favorably by the board shall have the right of appeal to the commission which shall have the authority to either affirm the board’s action or order the board to issue a certificate of qualification to the applicant[i].  Code of Ala. § 34-24-331 provides that a licensee who seeks to be licensed in another state by reciprocity on the basis of his/her Alabama license shall have his/her application therefor certified by the State Board of Medical Examiners and approved by the Medical Licensure Commission.  The fee for this certification shall be $10.00 and shall be paid to the board.

Furthermore, when an applicant for a license to practice medicine or osteopathy has complied fully with all requirements of the law regulating the practice of medicine or osteopathy, the board shall issue a certificate of qualification to the commission certifying the qualification of such person, and thereafter such applicant may apply to the commission for a license to practice medicine or osteopathy for which such certificate indicates his/her qualification.  If the commission finds that the applicant is of good moral character and has been duly certified by the board, the commission shall issue to such applicant a license, unless it appears to the commission that there is other good and reasonable cause for refusing to issue such license, it being the purpose and intent of this section to give the Medical Licensure Commission overall supervision, discretion and judgment with respect to the issuance of licenses authorizing the licensee to practice medicine or osteopathy within the State of Alabama.  The commission may, at its discretion, issue a license to practice medicine to an applicant who has been issued a certificate of qualification under the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.  A license issued under this section shall contain the following information upon the face of the document: “Issued subject to restrictions under the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.” Such license shall be issued by the commission without cost to the applicant.  Each license shall state on its face that it is valid for a period of one calendar year and the expiration date.  A license issued by the commission under this subsection may be revoked, suspended, restricted, placed on probation, or subjected to other sanctions for the same causes and reasons and in the same manner as provided by law for the disciplining of a physician’s license to practice medicine[ii].

Pursuant to Code of Ala. § 34-24-335, in the event the Medical Licensure Commission determines that the application of any person for a license should be denied, the commission shall promptly upon reaching its decision notify the applicant of its action, and such notice shall contain the reason for the commission’s denial of the application.  In all cases where an application is denied, any fee which accompanied the application for the license shall not be refunded, and no applicant shall have the right to recover any part of such fee accompanying his/her application for license, the board being empowered to retain all of said fee in order to reimburse the state for expenses incident to an investigation of the applicant and the credentials certified to the commission.

Pursuant to the statutes, it shall be the duty of the State Board of Medical Examiners to promote continuing medical education of all physicians and osteopaths licensed by the commission, and is empowered to spend a portion of its funds in any manner it deems desirable for carrying out this purpose.  The board is specifically empowered to provide funds to any nonprofit corporation for the purpose of conducting continuing medical education programs without being bound by the provisions of any law requiring competitive bidding.  Such programs must be open to all licensed physicians and osteopaths without regard to membership in any professional organization.  The board shall adopt a program of continuing medical education for all licensees living in the State of Alabama not later than October 1, 1991.  After said date, successful completion of the requirements of said continuing medical education program shall be a requisite for license renewal. Licensees who reside outside of Alabama are exempt from the provisions of this subsection.  Effective January 1, 2003, the board may require all physicians and osteopaths to successfully complete a prescribed course of continuing medical education on a subject or subjects designated by the board.  The board may prescribe by regulation a fixed period of time or deadline for completion of the prescribed continuing medical education course or courses.  The board may make provision for a physician or osteopath to be excused from this requirement for reasons satisfactory to the board.  The Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama may, subject to notice and hearing, within its discretion, indefinitely suspend the license to practice medicine of a physician or osteopath who fails to successfully complete the course or courses of continuing medical education required by this subsection or impose administrative fines or other penalties as authorized by Section 34-24-381[iii].

Code of Ala. § 34-24-337 provides that every person licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy in the State of Alabama shall, on or before December 31 of each succeeding year, apply to the commission for renewal of a certificate of registration which shall be effective during the next calendar year.  All new licenses issued by the commission, upon application, shall be registered by the commission at the time of issuance, and a certificate of registration, which shall be effective until and including the following December 31, shall be issued to the licensee.  Each renewal application shall be made on a form to be furnished by the commission.  The application shall give the name of the applicant in full, his or her address, the date and number of the license issued to the applicant for the practice of medicine or osteopathy, and such other facts as shall tend to identify the applicant for registration as the commission shall deem necessary.  Each applicant for registration shall submit with the application payment in an amount to be set by the commission, not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500), as a registration fee.

The statutes further provide that fees for the issuance of licenses to practice medicine or osteopathy and registration fees shall be collected and kept by the State Board of Medical Examiners which shall furnish all employees and facilities utilized by the commission.  The State Board of Medical Examiners shall continue to collect fees for examination, certificates of qualification, and such other fees as are authorized by law or this article.  Fees for physicians participating in a collaborative practice with a certified registered nurse practitioner or a certified nurse midwife shall be collected and kept by the State Board of Medical Examiners.  The fee for a physician participating in a collaborative practice shall be set by the State Board of Medical Examiners, in an amount not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200)[iv].

Pursuant to Code of Ala. § 34-24-341, the Medical Licensure Commission, in addition to the powers and duties expressed in this article with respect to the denial of a license, denial of a certificate of registration and suspension or revocation of a license, is empowered to commence and maintain in its own name in any circuit court having jurisdiction of any person within this state, who is practicing without a license or to whom a license has been denied, or to whom a certificate of registration has been denied or whose license has been suspended or revoked by action of the commission, an action in the nature of quo warranto as provided for in Section 6-6-590 et seq., as the same is now or may hereafter be amended, to order such person to cease and desist from continuing to practice medicine or osteopathy within the State of Alabama, and jurisdiction is conferred upon the circuit courts of this state to hear and determine all such cases.  The commission may commence and maintain such action without the filing of a bond or security and without the order or direction of a circuit judge.  Nothing in this section shall be construed as conferring criminal jurisdiction upon any court not now possessing such criminal jurisdiction, nor shall such court, as an incident to the said action in the nature of quo warranto herein authorized, have the power to assess the criminal penalties herein set out.  An injunction shall be issued upon proof that the person is now or has in the past engaged in the unlawful practice of medicine or osteopathy without requiring proof of actual damage sustained by any person.  If such injunction is issued, the injunction shall not relieve any person, corporation, or association, nor the officers or directors thereof, from criminal prosecution for the unlawful practice of medicine or osteopathy.

Furthermore, any person who shall practice medicine or osteopathy without first having complied with all the provisions of this article, and any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article, shall be guilty of a Class C felony and shall be subject to the punishment prescribed for a Class C felony.  Each day such person shall practice medicine or osteopathy without meeting all the requirements of all laws now in force and of this article shall constitute a separate offense; and any person filing or attempting to file, as his/her own, a diploma or license of another or a forged affidavit of identification shall be guilty of a felony and shall be subject to the punishment prescribed for forgery in the second degree[v].

Code of Ala. § 34-24-360 provides that the Medical Licensure Commission shall have the power and duty to suspend, revoke, or restrict any license to practice medicine or osteopathy in the State of Alabama or place on probation or fine any licensee whenever the licensee shall be found guilty on the basis of substantial evidence of any of the following acts or offenses:

  • Fraud in applying for or procuring a certificate of qualification to practice medicine or osteopathy or a license to practice medicine or osteopathy in the State of Alabama.
  • Unprofessional conduct as defined herein or in the rules and regulations promulgated by the commission.
  • Practicing medicine or osteopathy in such a manner as to endanger the health of the patients of the practitioner.
  • Conviction of a felony; a copy of the record of conviction, certified to by the clerk of the court entering the conviction, shall be conclusive evidence.
  • Conviction of any crime or offense which reflects the inability of the practitioner to practice medicine or osteopathy with due regard for the health or safety of his patients; a copy of the record of conviction, certified to by the clerk of the court entering the conviction, shall be conclusive evidence.
  • Conviction for any violation of a federal or state law relating to controlled substances; a copy of the record of conviction, certified to by the clerk of the court entering the conviction, shall be conclusive evidence.
  • Use of any untruthful or deceptive or improbable statements concerning the licensee’s qualifications or the effects or results of his proposed treatment.
  • Distribution by prescribing, dispensing, furnishing, or supplying of controlled substances to any person or patient for any reason other than a legitimate medical purpose.
  • Gross malpractice or repeated malpractice or gross negligence in the practice of medicine or osteopathy.
  • Division of fees or agreement to split or divide the fees received for professional services with any person for bringing or referring a patient.
  • Performance of unnecessary diagnostic tests or medical or surgical services.
  • Charging fees determined by the commission to be grossly excessive or intentionally filing or causing to be filed false or fraudulent claims, as defined by the commission, for medical or surgical services to any private or government third party payor having a legal or contractual obligation to pay such claims on behalf of a patient.
  • Aiding or abetting the practice of medicine by any person not licensed by the commission.
  • Conviction of fraud in filing Medicare or Medicaid claims or conviction of fraud in filing claims to any third party payor; a copy of the record of conviction, certified to by the clerk of the court entering the conviction, shall be conclusive evidence.
  • Any disciplinary action taken by another state against a licensee to practice medicine or osteopathy, based upon acts by the licensee similar to acts described in this section; a certified copy of the record of the disciplinary action of the state making such an action is conclusive evidence thereof.
  • Refusal to appear before the State Board of Medical Examiners after having been formally requested to do so in writing by the executive director of the board.
  • Making any fraudulent or untrue statement to the commission or to the State Board of Medical Examiners.
  • The termination, revocation, probation, restriction, denial, failure to renew, suspension, reduction, or resignation of staff privileges of a licensee by a hospital in this or any other state when such action is related to negligence or incompetence in the practice of medicine, moral turpitude, sexual misconduct, abusive or disruptive behavior, or drug or alcohol abuse.
  • Being unable to practice medicine or osteopathy with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness, inebriation, excessive use of drugs, narcotics, alcohol, chemicals, or any other substance, or as a result of any mental or physical condition.

The statute further provides that in the event that an examination or evaluation ordered by the board demonstrates that the physician or osteopath lacks basic medical knowledge or clinical training sufficient to engage in the practice of medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients, then the board may order that a restriction be placed upon the certificate of qualification and license to practice medicine of the physician or osteopath which restriction may require:

  • The medical practice of the physician or osteopath in question be limited or restricted in a manner consistent with the findings of the examination or evaluation.
  • That the physician or osteopath successfully complete a course or courses of remedial education or clinical training as directed by the board.
  • That the physician or osteopath successfully pass or complete an examination of basic medical knowledge or clinical competency as designated by the board.
  • Any combination of the foregoing.

Furthermore, a physician or osteopath violates this subdivision if s/he prescribes, orders, dispenses, administers, supplies, or otherwise distributes any Schedule II amphetamine or Schedule II amphetamine like anorectic drug or Schedule II sympathomimetic amine drug or compound thereof, or any salt, compound, isomer, derivative, or preparation of the foregoing which are chemically equivalent thereto, or other nonnarcotic Schedule II stimulant drug, which drugs or compounds are classified under Schedule II of the Alabama Uniform Controlled Substances Act, Section 20-2-24, to any person except for the therapeutic treatment of Narcolepsy, Hyperkinesis, Brain dysfunction of sufficiently specific diagnosis, or etiology which clearly indicates the need for these substances in treatment or control, Epilepsy, and differential psychiatric evaluation of clinically significant depression; provided however, that such treatment shall not extend beyond a period of 30 days unless the patient is referred to a licensed practitioner specializing in the treatment of depression[vi].

Pursuant to Code of Ala. § 34-24-406, if the Board of Medical Examiners has reasonable cause to believe that a physician is impaired, the board may cause an evaluation of such physician to be conducted by the Alabama Physician Wellness Committee for the purpose of determining if there is an impairment.  Furthermore, the Alabama Physician Wellness Committee shall report the findings of its evaluation to the Board of Medical Examiners.

[i] Code of Ala. § 34-24-330.

[ii] Code of Ala. § 34-24-333.

[iii] Code of Ala. § 34-24-336.

[iv] Code of Ala. § 34-24-340.

[v] Code of Ala. § 34-24-343.

[vi] Code of Ala. § 34-24-360.


Inside Alabama Regulation of Physicians