Mississippi medical board revises mental health questions on applications
The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure has recently made changes to questions on the licensing and renewal applications "to reflect a better awareness of mental health needs and provide additional reassurances for the state's practitioners. " The new language is as follows:
"The Board recognizes that licensees may suffer from potentially impairing health conditions, just like their patients, including psychiatric or physical illnesses which may impact cognition, and substance use disorders. The Board expects its licensees to properly address their health concerns, both physical and mental, in a timely manner to ensure patient safety and to maintain the ability to meet the needs of patients. Licensees should seek appropriate medical care and should limit their medical practice, when appropriate and as needed. The Board encourages licensees to utilize the services of the Mississippi Physician Health Program, a confidential resource which provides advocacy for licensees who may suffer from potentially impairing illnesses. The failure of a licensee to adequately address any health condition which may impair their ability to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients, will likely result in the board acting against the licensee to practice medicine."