Recent News

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month & National Physician Suicide Awareness Day

September 16, 2022    113    113   

In the month of September, the State Medical Board of Ohio observes Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and the many burdens medical professionals carry daily.

This Saturday, September 17, is also National Physician Suicide Awareness Day and draws attention to the need for physician support and access to wellness resources. To learn more visit npsaday.org/.

Sadly, physicians have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession, and the COVID-19 pandemic has taken an even greater toll on physician mental health. It is crucial physicians and other medical professionals are made aware of the resources available to address their mental health concerns, increasing stress, and signs of burnout in order to seek immediate help when needed.

The Medical Board has created a Provider Wellness page to share resources available for providers in need. Among these resources we’ve included:

• Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services hotline: (877) 275-6364

• Ohio Physicians Health Program resources and phone number: (614) 841-9690

• Well-being CARE Service: a simple, free, and anonymous checkup of mental and emotional health

Additionally, providers can dial 988 to text or chat trained counselors on the newly designated Suicide & Crisis Lifeline any time of day or night.  

Click here to watch a message from current board member, Michael Schottenstein, MD.

Agendas Posted for September Meetings

September 12, 2022    183    183   

The State Medical Board of Ohio has public meetings scheduled this week.

Tuesday, September 13

The Respiratory Care Advisory Council is meeting in-person at 2 p.m. Click here to view the agenda.

Wednesday, September 14

The following meetings will be shared on the board's YouTube channel, as technology permits. Click here to view the agenda and livestream link. 

8:30 a.m. Finance Committee

9:00 a.m. Compliance Committee

10:00 a.m. Board Meeting

Office Closure

September 2, 2022    140    140   

The State Medical Board office will be closed on Monday, September 5 in observance of Labor Day. We will reopen on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

Ohio Department of Health Launches New Monkeypox Cases Dashboard

August 26, 2022    893    893   

Ohio Department of Health director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, announced the creation of a new public dashboard to provide Ohioans with information about the status of monkeypox in the state.

The Monkeypox Cases Overview dashboard and interactive map, available on the Ohio Department of Health website (odh.ohio.gov), shows the total number of cases across the state, the number of cases per county, the age range of people affected by monkeypox, the percentage of cases by sex, and outcomes, including any hospitalizations and deaths.

The dashboard, which will be updated weekly on Thursdays, is modeled after other dashboards ODH has developed to share information with Ohioans about infectious disease outbreaks, including the 2018 statewide outbreak of Hepatitis A.

As of today, there have been 147 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ohio across 19 counties, with the most cases reported in two of the state’s largest metro areas, Franklin County, including the City of Columbus, (33 cases) and Cuyahoga County, including the City of Cleveland, (69 cases). Most cases (96%) have been among men. The Ohio Department of Health reported the state’s first case of monkeypox on June 13. As we have seen cases increase nationally and here in Ohio in the past few weeks, this new resource can help Ohioans be aware of the health status of their communities.

Monkeypox is spread through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact with someone who has monkeypox. Monkeypox can cause a rash that may look like pimples or blisters. The rash will change and turn to scabs before healing.  Some people may get flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, swollen lymph nodes, chills, or exhaustion. Sometimes, people get a rash first, then get other symptoms. Other people only get a rash. People who have been exposed to monkeypox or believe they may be at high risk for exposure should contact their healthcare provider or local health department for more information about vaccine or possible treatment options.

For more information, including frequently asked questions about monkeypox, visit odh.ohio.gov/monkeypox.

Spoofing Scam Reminder

August 15, 2022    1495    1495   

Licensees should remain aware that a scam continues to target and affect Ohio prescribers. Scammers are calling, faxing and emailing medical professionals claiming to be agents of the State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO), agents of the DEA or agents of the FBI. These scammers claim that the professionals’ medical and drug licenses have been compromised and are being used by other entities in a drug trafficking scheme. As a result of these allegations, the scammers direct the medical provider to wire money to foreign bank accounts. Please remember, SMBO investigators, DEA agents and FBI agents will not ask for fine payment or personal/sensitive information over the phone.

When the scammers communicate via phone call, they spoof the legitimate phone number for the SMBO (614-466-3934). Be aware that scammers have the ability to spoof phone numbers to appear as though they legitimately belong to the entity they are claiming to be. If the Medical Board is truly conducting an investigation, and that individual faces action against their license, they will receive an official notice of opportunity for a hearing either via certified mail or by personal service. Further, emails originating from actual Medical Board staff end in @med.ohio.gov.

Learn how to identify a legitimate investigation, how to verify if the caller is from the Medical Board and how to file a complaint if you are contacted by a scammer here.

If you are contacted by a scammer, please report the incident to your local law enforcement and Ohio's Attorney General by filing a complaint online at ohioprotects.org or by calling 800-282-0515.

Agendas Posted for August Meetings

August 8, 2022    925    925   

The State Medical Board of Ohio has public meetings scheduled this week:

Tuesday, August 9

The Massage Therapy Advisory Council is meeting in-person at 2 p.m. The agenda and registration link can be found here.

Wednesday, August 10

The following meetings will be shared on the board's YouTube channel, as technology permits. The agendas and link to the livestream can be found here.

9:30 a.m. Finance Committee

10:00 a.m. Board Meeting

Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Information Session

July 15, 2022    1205    1205   

The Medical Board will host a virtual information session at 6p.m. on Wednesday, July 20 to inform physicians interested in applying for licensure via the Compact. This session will include information about the Compact's legislation, eligibility requirements, and application instructions. The board will also provide responses to physician questions. If you have questions about the Compact you'd like the board to address during the information session, submit them here: Submit Compact Questions. 

This event will be recorded and made available for viewing after its completion. Click here to register.

The board anticipates being fully operational in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact on August 2.

Agendas for July Meetings

July 12, 2022    1557    1557   

The State Medical Board of Ohio has three public meetings scheduled on Wednesday, July 13. These meetings are open to the public and shared as a courtesy via livestream on our YouTube channel. The Board meeting agenda is available here.

9:00 a.m. Quality Assurance Committee

9:30 a.m. Compliance Committee

10:00 a.m. Board Meeting

Office Closure

June 17, 2022    1015    1015   

The State Medical Board office will be closed on Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth. We will reopen on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

ODH Identifies Probable Monkeypox Case

June 14, 2022    1148    1148   

Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, announced on Monday, June 13 that ODH has identified a probable case of monkeypox infection in an adult male Ohio resident based on preliminary testing at the ODH laboratory. Confirmatory monkeypox testing at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is pending.

“What I want to emphasize strongly is that monkeypox does not spread easily between people, and so the risk to Ohioans generally is very low,” Dr. Vanderhoff said.

ODH is working closely with the CDC, relevant local boards of health, and the patient’s health care providers to ensure appropriate care for the patient.

The individual remains isolated and is following recommendations from public health officials and medical providers.

Dr. Vanderhoff said that unlike COVID-19, which can be spread easily from person to person through the air over several feet of space, monkeypox spreads between people primarily through direct contact with infectious sores, scabs, or body fluids. It also can be spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact.

Monkeypox can spread during intimate contact between people, including during sex, as well as activities like kissing, cuddling, or touching parts of the body with monkeypox sores.

ODH strongly recommends that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of an unexplained rash (lesions on any part of the body) contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible. People who are feeling ill should stay home.

Persons who only have flu-like symptoms without rash should get tested for COVID-19. Ill persons should wear a mask when seeking care or if they are not able to isolate from others.

Monkeypox is a viral illness that typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes and progresses to a rash. Cases recently identified across the country appear less likely to have the initial symptoms of flu-like illness or lymph node swelling and the rash, which may look like pimples or blisters, may also stay contained to a particular part of the body.  

It is important to note that anyone can get monkeypox, even though most cases associated with the investigation in the United States have occurred among men who have sex with men.