Quick Tip: TMB Changes Requirements for Mandated CME

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Thank you for listening to TMA's Practice Well podcast. TMA,
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helping you improve the health of all Texans.
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Music.
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Hi, I'm Cheryl Krovyak, the director of the TMA Education Center and producer
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of TMA Practice Well podcast. In the February Bulletin from the Texas Medical Board, Dr.
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Zafran announced the TMB has completed a comprehensive review and revision of all agency rules.
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This is a state-mandated process
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to help ensure that TMB regulations are aligned with state statutes.
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The TMB has reduced the number of chapters from 40 to 25 to provide cleaner
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and better organized Texas administrative code.
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The board also took the chance to clarify language in areas where licensees
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and stakeholders have reported confusion.
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For example, information on physician licensure, which was once distributed
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across seven different chapters, is now housed in Chapter 161.
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This chapter, that's Chapter 161, includes mandated CME requirements and the
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changes the TMB made to bring the requirements in line with state statutes.
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Joining me now to discuss some of the biggest changes is Dr. Sam Shada.
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Dr. Shada has advocated for Texas physicians and their patients for several decades.
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Welcome, Dr. Schade. Tell us about your experience working with Texas legislators
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and the Texas Medical Board.
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Happy to do that for you. I've been working with the legislature for going on
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four decades. A very good friend of mine got me introduced to this.
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And there was a need in the 80s for prescription of opioids because it was being under-prescribed.
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And so he taught me the ropes of working the legislature, working bills.
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And in that process, of course, being involved with the Texas Medical Association
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and their committees and being a delegate to the TMA for 20 years.
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In the process, I was also a member of the Texas Pain Society,
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past president and board member.
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I've worked very closely with the Texas Medical Board.
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I have the president's cell phone number, chief legal counsel's cell phone number.
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I also was the first director of the legislatively mandated PMP Advisory Committee.
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So I have a longstanding background and interest in regulatory issues.
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I agree. You certainly do. and thank you for your dedication and leadership
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and willingness to put on the white coat and go to the state capitol and talk
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to the congressmen and women.
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That's part of the First Tuesday process, and I've been active in that,
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and that's very, very important. I'm glad you brought that up.
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The First Tuesday's program is well-organized by our lobbyists and going down
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and meeting with your senator and your representative and key members on the
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different committees that are handling these bills, but in addition,
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going to hearings, putting in cards and support and testifying as an expert
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for the TMA or individually.
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Now, I know you've taken the time to go through the revisions in the Texas Medical Board rules.
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What do you think is the most beneficial for physicians regarding the changes to the mandated CMEs?
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The new rules are much shorter, and specifically on the opioid CME, it has been lucent,
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meaning previously on the old rules, every physician, even if they didn't have
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a DEA license, had to take this to renew their license.
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Now, it's only if you're in direct patient care.
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When you renew your license, if you put direct patient care,
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you have to take these two hours of CEUs.
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And instead of doing it forever, the law states you only have to do it twice,
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and then it goes to once in every eight years.
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So it's a significant decrease in the burden in doing this.
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That is excellent news.
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And you were one of our original planners and speakers for TMA's first CME that
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was created to help physicians meet the mandated controlled substance prescribing CME.
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As you know, there were quite a few physicians who were very frustrated that
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they had to take the CME, even though they don't provide direct patient care.
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What other important revisions should physicians know about?
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This is a very important nuance.
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The old rules were very prescriptive, almost to the point of a checklist. That's gone.
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Now their emphasis is on flexibility because each patient's care is individualized.
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But that increases the practitioner's burden when they do their soap note,
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okay, to document what they're doing.
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In other words, to explain their standard of care and why they're treating the
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patient the way they're treating them.
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So it's a double-edged sword. You have the flexibility to do it,
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but you also have the burden to document what you're doing.
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You know, 20-something years ago when I first started at TMA working on CME
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programs, documentation was an issue.
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And here it is again today, despite all of the tools that should assist physicians with documentation.
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Now, Dr. Schade before I let you go, do you have any last tips for your colleagues?
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Yes, I strongly encourage you to go to the TMA's CEU, Continuing Education, section.
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As we have just recorded, I just recorded the mandated CEUs in pain management
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and prescription of opioids meeting regulatory requirements.
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And there's a lot of very useful information in there and useful links.
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So I highly encourage you to use the TMA for that requirement. Great.
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Thank you so much, Dr. Schade. And I will include the link to that webinar in
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the episode description.
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And for TMA members and their staff, that webinar is free.
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Dr. Schade, thanks again for taking time to speak with me today.
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Thank you, Cheryl. Have a great day.
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To our listeners, we hope you found this quick tip beneficial.
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To receive more helpful tips and see me to go, like and follow TMA Practice Well Podcasts.
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Until next time, stay well.
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TMA has a long, proud history of promoting patient rights, advocating for physicians,
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and providing real solutions for your practice, we can accomplish so much when we unite in one voice.
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Call the TMA Knowledge Center at 1-800-880-7955 or visit texmed.org to find
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out how you can join or renew your membership today.
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Music.