Historically, the licensing process, which has been in existence in virtually every state, successfully eliminated fraudsters who purposefully misled and deceived the public. The medical licensure procedure in each state has a long history of safeguarding patients and assuring high standards of treatment (McMichael, 2020). Today, some claim that licensing is largely used to safeguard the licensed group’s economic interests. State licensing regulations for health care, on the other hand, provide a number of advantages that cannot be overlooked.
Due to public health licensing regulations, medical education and practice standards have grown. The availability of qualified medical practitioners in medical practice serves a critical societal purpose of protecting vulnerable people from untrustworthy and self-taught practitioners and institutions (Iserson, 2020). The necessity that physicians get a license to practice medicine protects the public against doubtful and inefficient therapies.
Unlike possible national licensing, state licensing ensures local responsibility in the event of patient care issues. Local accountability is more in line with the balance of patient and physician protection that is required. Patients may find it simpler to report suspected medical malpractice or misconduct if the specialist has a state license. Local authorities may be more accessible to patients than national authorities, and physician conduct hearings may be held locally (Iserson, 2020). The mechanism of the IMLC (Interstate Medical Licensing Treaty) became an effective mechanism in this regard. The state requirements are a significant aspect of healthcare regulations. State licensure is important not only for patients but also for specialists due to occasional differences in the educational process and its emphasis.
Overall, despite its criticism, the state licensing regulations for health care have their advantages, even though they can be developed or revised in some instances. Some of the critics opt for the elimination of licensing process as a whole, while some argue for national licensing. However, the issue is multifaceted, as state licensing requirements proved to be reliable in serving their main purpose – protecting the population’s health.
References
Iserson, K. V. (2020). Augmenting the disaster healthcare workforce. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 21(3), 490.
McMichael, B. J. (2020). Healthcare licensing and liability. Indiana University Bloomington, 9(5), 821. Web.