Newswise — WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 17, 2016) – Kansas and Mississippi became the latest states to adopt the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, capping off another successful week for the expansion of the Compact. Legislation was signed into law by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback on May 13 and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant on May 17. With the addition of Kansas and Mississippi, 16 states have adopted the Compact legislation to expand access to health care by expediting medical licensure. Compact legislation is awaiting the signature of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper.
The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact offers an expedited licensing process for physicians interested in practicing medicine in multiple states. The Compact is expected to expand access to health care, especially to those in rural and underserved areas of the country, and facilitate the use of telemedicine technologies in the delivery of health care.
“Our participation in the Compact should improve access to quality health care and ease physician shortages in underserved areas of our state,” said Kathleen Selzler Lippert, JD, Executive Director of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts.
“By facilitating multi-state medical licensure, the Compact will benefit both physicians and patients in Mississippi and across the nation,” said Virginia Crawford, MD, President of the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure.
In addition to Kansas and Mississippi, 14 other states have enacted the Compact, including Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
For more information about the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, please visit www.licenseportability.org.
About the Federation of State Medical BoardsThe Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national non-profit organization representing all medical boards within the United States and its territories that license and discipline allopathic and osteopathic physicians and, in some jurisdictions, other health care professionals. The FSMB serves as the voice for state medical boards, supporting them through education, assessment, research and advocacy while providing services and initiatives that promote patient safety, quality health care and regulatory best practices. To learn more about FSMB, visit www.fsmb.org. You can also follow FSMB on Twitter (@theFSMB and @FSMBPolicy).
RSS