MULTI-YEAR AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN (FY 2016-2020) ARIZONA MEDICAL BOARD And ARIZONA REGULATORY BOARD OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS Contact: Patricia E. McSorley, Executive Director Phone (480) 551-2791 A.R.S. §32-1401 et.seq. and A.R.S. §32-2501 et.seq. Mission: The mission of the agency is to protect public safety through the judicious licensing, regulation, and education of physicians and physician assistants. Vision: Protection of the Public through Regulatory Excellence Agency Description: The Agency staff supports two Boards – the Arizona Medical Board, which licenses and regulates allopathic physicians, and the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants, which licenses and regulates physician assistants. The Agency processes applications for licenses, handles public complaints against licensees, and disseminates information pertaining to licensees and the regulatory process. The two Boards determine and administer disciplinary action in the event of proven violations of their respective practice acts. Together, the Boards regulate over 25,000 licensees. Agency Core Values: • Public Protection • Integrity and Teamwork • Competent, Courteous and Professional Service • Responsible Fiscal Management Strategic Issues: Issue #1: Consolidation of essential agency functions focused on public protection through the examination of regulatory issues, ongoing education of staff and Board members, active dissemination of public information, and public outreach. The Arizona Medical Board and the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants continually strive to proactively explore areas influencing healthcare delivery and public safety. The boards will focus on essential agency functions and concentrate on those matters that directly affect the health and well-being of Arizona’s citizens. The boards will continue their advances toward providing clear direction through policy and statutory initiatives, participating in ongoing educational opportunities in regulation, and staying on the forefront of providing public information that affects healthcare decision making. 1 Goal 1: To increase activities devoted to addressing public safety, healthcare and regulatory issues of importance to licensees, stakeholders, and the general public through collaboration with others, policy making, and information dissemination Objective 1.1: Increase time spent addressing public safety, healthcare or regulatory issues through subcommittee discussion and adoption of relevant substantive policy statements and rules. Objective 1.2: Increase the availability of educational and regulatory information to licensees, stakeholders, and the general public Strategic Plan Measurement Number of substantive policy statements, guidelines, rules, or rule revisions adopted Number of instances where a Board or staff member attends a professional training event relevant to the Board’s functions and or the appropriate delivery of healthcare. Number of public awareness activities, training opportunities, and other public notifications published on the Board website or transmitted to licensees via email blasts FY 15 Goal FY 15 Actual FY 16 Goal FY 17 Goal FY 18 Goal FY 19 Goal FY 20 Goal 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 20 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 3 25 25 25 25 25 Issue #2: Stabilization of database infrastructure to support e-licensing, regulatory, and information dissemination processes, as well as increased capacity for performance measurement, through improved information technology and other process improvements The Board has had a successful electronic licensing renewal (e-licensing) for over seven years. The agency continues to stabilize the system to ensure on-line security as applicants and licensees share confidential information with the boards during the licensing and renewal process and as financial transactions take place. The infrastructure will continue to evolve as other electronic functions are made available to licensees and the public as well. Before the end of summer, the Agency plans to implement the on-line initial MD Application. Should the process go as planned, allopathic physicians will be able to apply on line by the beginning of September 2015. The database also tracks staff progress during the investigative and post adjudication processes allowing for statistical data analysis and identification of process improvement. 2 Goal 2: To improve efficiency of licensing, regulatory, and information dissemination processes. Objective 2.1: To maintain or improve upon prior year performance levels in license processing. Objective 2.2: To improve maintain or approve upon prior year performance levels in complaint investigation and case resolution. Objective 2.3: To improve maintain or improve upon prior year performance levels in responding to public information requests. Strategic Plan Measurement Average time to approve an MD license from receipt of application Average time to approve a PA license from receipt of application Average number of days to process an initial medical doctor application upon receipt of completed application (locked budget measure) Average score of agency-wide customer service satisfaction surveys (scale of 1-8)(locked budget measure) Average number of days to complete a MD investigation (locked budget measure) Average number of days to complete a PA investigation (locked budget measure) Average number of days to resolve a MD case (locked budget measure) Average number of days to resolve a PA case (locked budget measure) Number of MD cases referred to formal hearing (locked budget measure) FY 15 Goal FY 15 Actual FY 16 Goal FY 17 Goal FY 18 Goal FY 19 Goal FY 20 Goal 30 27 30 30 30 30 30 17 18 17 17 17 17 17 7 15 7 7 7 7 7 7.5 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 150 151 140 140 140 140 140 140 124 130 130 130 130 130 180 191 180 180 180 180 180 180 167 180 180 180 180 180 20 17 20 20 20 20 20 The Agency experienced many changes in FY 2015 which directly impacted the results reported the Agency’s Investigations Department, Board of Operations, and Licensing Department. New processes were implemented to satisfy statutory and regulatory requirements. The Agency was selected to participate in the Government Transformation Office’s Wave 2 Permit Blitz to examine the licensing process with the goal of eliminating any non-value added requirements in order to reduce the number of days to license a physician. As a result, the Agency is currently running a pilot program and will assess if the newly implemented process changes have reduced the number of days to license a physician applicant. 3