Type of Intervention: Executive Order
Sectors Involved: Health
Intervention Categories: Legal and policy; Regulatory change
Level of Jurisdiction: Texas
Lead People/Agency: Governor Greg Abbott
Overview: Governor Greg Abbott today directed the Texas Medical Board (TMB) and the Texas Board of Nursing (TBN) to fast-track the temporary licensing of out-of-state physicians, physician assistants, certain retired physicians, nurses, and other license types to assist in Texas’ response to COVID-19. Today’s announcement is among the actions Governor Abbott is taking under the State of Disaster declaration (March 13).
Full details here: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-fast-tracks-licensing-for-out-of-state-medical-professionals
Type of Justification: Advice of EXTERNAL expert advisor or advisory committee
Evidence/Justification: The TMB encourages Texas physicians who have been retired for less than two years to consider returning to active status during this difficult time,” said TMB President Sherif Z. Zaafran, M.D. “By utilizing TMB and TBN’s disaster emergency licensure rule, Texas will have an increased supply of health care professionals who will be able to provide necessary in-person and telemedicine services to Texans across the state,” said Governor Abbott. The TMB also recognizes the need to ease licensure requirements to facilitate increasing the supply of health care providers available to the people of Texas during these unprecedented times. As such, the TMB is utilizing our disaster emergency licensure rule to help increase patients’ access to both in-person and telemedicine care.