Related Stories

Marketing Your Practice - 06/30/2020

Marketing Your Practice

TMB to Extend Expiring Medical Licenses to Aug. 31 - 03/19/2020

The Texas Medical Board (TMB) will automatically extend until Aug. 31, 2020, all state medical licenses that have expired or will expire between Feb. 28, 2020, and May 31, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency said. Any late fees will be waived, TMB said.

Your Website + SEO = A Perfect Match - 02/14/2020

If you would like to learn how to build your online credibility and reach patients through effective SEO, tune into a free, 45-minute webinar by Officite, a Texas Medical Association endorsed vendor.

Modern Websites for Health Care Practices - 11/01/2019

Physicians spend many years in medical school, and marketing probably wasn’t a part of the curriculum. However, there’s a good chance your next potential patient will be looking for a physician with a search engine or on Facebook. So what’s a savvy practice to do?

Starting a Practice - 10/30/2019

Setting Up or Closing a Practice

You’re a Doctor, Not a Business Magnate. But Why Not Be Both? - 10/23/2019

Don’t let the business of medicine bog down your practice. The Texas Medical Association’s publication Business Basics for Physicians can help provide the skills you need to run a successful medical practice.

TMB Transitions to Electronic Licenses in September - 09/18/2019

Beginning Sept. 1, the Texas Medical Board (TMB) will no longer issue paper licenses for physicians or physician assistants. Instead, new and renewed licenses will be available via the My TMB online portal.

Searching for a Better Online Reputation - 08/02/2019

What people see on the internet can bring in — or drive away — patients. But most physicians are not trained in either communications or digital technology, and so have little understanding of the financial impact of search engines, social media, and review sites.

Help Your Small Business Thrive With These Webinars - 05/03/2019

In recognition of National Small Business Week (May 5-11), Texas Medical Association-endorsed vendor Officite is kicking off a three-week webinar series beginning May 8.

Advertise for Less Than $100 - 10/04/2018

TMA's Web site experiences nearly 320,000 visitor sessions each month. With this kind of activity, can you afford not to advertise in TMA's online classifieds?

What Does Your Online Presence Say About You? - 09/27/2018

If you don’t already monitor your online reputation, now is a good time to start. Join TMA-endorsed vendor, Officite, for a free, 45-minute webinar at 2 pm Thursday, Oct. 18 to discover how to take control of your brand across the internet.   

TMA Legislative News Hotline: Friday, Aug. 11, 2017 - 07/10/2018

TMB Renewal Avoids Doomsday Scenario — Finally

Unmatched Talent - 07/10/2018

TMA's physician leaders aren't ready for alternative licensing path for unmatched medical graduates. "The issue is not the need for a separate licensure path. The issue is residency spots, and we need to remain focused on this.”

Oppose Overly Punitive Medical Licensing Bill - 04/27/2018

As filed, this bill would prevent the licensure of any physician who “has been subject to disciplinary action with respect to a medical license by any licensing entity in the five years preceding the date of application.” If enacted, this provision would disqualify ANY physician for medical licensure if they were subject to ANY disciplinary action with respect to a medical license by ANY licensing  entity in five years preceding application.

Allow Interstate Compact for Medical Licensure - 04/27/2018

Support House Bill 661 by Zerwas: The goal of the legislation is to make it easier for qualified physicians to obtain medical licensure in multiple states…. in an expedited, streamlined manner. This may have a number of benefits, including increasing physician participation in telemedicine care. And it may well increase our ability to attract physicians to relocate and practice in our state.

DPS Automatically Renewed Current, Active CSR Permits - 04/20/2018

Senate Bill 195 by Sen. Charles Schwertner, MD (R-Georgetown), and Rep. Myra Crownover (R-Denton) eliminates the controlled substances registration (CSR) permit program, effective Sept. 1, 2016. To implement the change, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) says it automatically renewed all active or current CSRs on Aug. 20, 2015. They will expire on Aug. 31, 2016. DPS adds that it will not mail new certificates with automatic renewals.

Forney to Physicians: We’re Open for Medicine - 02/21/2018

If you’ve ever thought about opening your own practice in the Dallas area, officials in Forney are hoping you’ll look their way.

A Bump in the Road? Trucker Med Exam Registry Down - 02/13/2018

The online registry for physicians to become certified medical examiners for interstate commercial drivers — such as bus drivers and truckers — has been down for more than two months, an official with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) said. Physicians use that same system to upload the results of the drivers’ medical exams.

Practice e-Tips on Practice Operations - 11/15/2017

Billing Consulting HIPAA Forms Marketing Office Staff OSHA Patient Service Policies & Procedures Resources Billing Billing Medicare for Locum Tenens Billing Tip

Practice e-Tips on Marketing Your Practice - 07/28/2017

Marketing Tips for Your Practice

MOC Amounts to Mandate for Physicians - 05/09/2017

The MOC program began in the mid-90s and granted physicians who completed their training before that date a lifetime board certification, while the remainder of Texas physicians must participate in MOC or lose their ability to care for patients and sustain a practice. For the attorneys on the committee, this is like retaking your high-stakes bar exam every 10 years. Most physicians feel initial board certification is necessary to validate expertise following residency and training programs. However, we find the continuous maintenance of certification process to be burdensome, expensive, and filled with irrelevant curriculum. Most importantly, this process steals valuable time from our patients and our practice. 

Protect Employed Physicians’ Clinical Autonomy - 05/02/2017

Current law requires the Texas Medical Board to receive and investigate complaints against licensees. But it does not require the board to receive and investigate complaints against the entities it certifies. This bill addresses that. Patient care has always been the intent of this bill, and protecting physicians employed by these groups from retaliation when they advocate for patient care is a proper way of effecting that intent.

Physical Therapy in a Physician’s Office - 03/16/2017

Is it legal for me or one of my employees to perform “physical therapy” within the confines of my medical practice office, or would that violate a licensing code?

Texas Medical Board Legislative One Pager - 02/03/2017

TMA has long advocated for a strong but fair Texas Medical Board (TMB). A strong and fair TMB protects the patients of Texas, upholds high ethical and professional standards for physicians, helps to preserve the significant health care tort reforms enacted in 2003, and maintains the professional image of all Texas physicians. In the 2017 Texas Legislature, the TMB is undergoing sunset review – the once-every-12-years process by which lawmakers examine the effectiveness and efficiency of a state agency and determine whether to continue it for another 12 years. The sunset process provides TMA and Texas physicians with an opportunity to improve TMB’s licensing and disciplinary operations.

TMA, AMA: TMB Has Authority to Set Telemedicine Rules - 10/10/2016

In a 42-page brief jointly filed with a federal appeals court, TMA and the American Medical Association argue that federal antitrust regulation does not prevent the Texas Medical Board (TMB) from establishing rules that regulate the practice of telemedicine in Texas. At issue is a TMB rule that establishes the requirement that, as described in the brief, "Dangerous drugs and controlled substances … may not be prescribed by a physician who has not either physically examined a patient or examined a patient electronically with the assistance of a qualified medical professional who is physically present with the patient."