The Utah Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing has launched an upgraded database with information on disciplinary actions taken against physicians and other licensed professionals, Government Technology reports.
DOPL licenses and regulates approximately 189,000 Utah professionals, including about 9,000 physicians, according to a blog from the Workforce Research and Analysis Division of the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
Database Details
Information included in the previous DOPL database displayed only a "yes" or "no" about whether professionals had any disciplinary actions on their records. Database users would have to call DOPL to get a copy of the disciplinary records.
Now, the database includes explanations about disciplinary action or copies of disciplinary orders, according to DOPL Director Mark Steinagel. It also includes information on non-disciplinary orders levied on licensees, Government Technology reports.
The database includes records dating back to 2005.
The updated database officially debuted on May 3. Steinagel said that the database cost approximately $27,000, based on a temporary worker's hourly pay rate and benefits calculated over a nine-month period.
Further Enhancements
Steinagel said media outlets, insurance panels and compliance entities such as medical clinics have asked DOPL to increase the number of scanned disciplinary orders included in the database.
However, he noted that DOPL must acquire funding for additional modifications to the database (Heaton, Government Technology, 5/8).