As some of you may know, I sit on the Communications Cabinet of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and I love working closely with others who share my passion for medicine and patient advocacy. Earlier this month, an AAOS-led bill was signed into law, and I wanted to take a moment to share more about the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act.
The Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act has been in the works for more than five years before it was officially signed into law on October 5. The bill, which originated form the AAOS, gives legal protection for traveling team physicians and safeguards injured athletes’ timely access to health care professionals who best understand their medical history. AAOS President David. A Halsey, MD, shared his thoughts on the legislation.
“For too long, team physicians have had to choose between treating patients at great professional risk or handing over care,” said AAOS President David A. Halsey, MD. “The licensure clarity act now ensures their protection, and we thank Congress for supporting this critical legislation. Its passage represents years of hard work trying to get it across the finish line and it is a significant win—not only for practicing sports medicine professionals, but also for the large percentage of orthopaedists involved in the treatment and care of sports-related injuries.”
What The Law Provides
The law strengthens protections for doctors, which in turn helps patients. Previously, medical liability coverage wasn’t exactly clear for physicians who traveled out of state. For example, if they traveled out of state with a team, assisted a player in a state in which they are not medically licensed, and something went wrong, they might end up in a whole mess of trouble because they are not technically licensed to practice outside of their home state.
With the new legislation, doctors who best know the athlete’s history and injuries can provide appropriate care without the prospect of unjust financial penalties. Essentially, it requires traveling team doctors to be viewed as if they are caring for the patient in their home state, even if the team has traveled out of state.
“Our patients deserve the same high-quality care we can provide at home as they do when traveling across state lines,” said AAOS Council on Advocacy Chair Wilford K. Gibson, MD. “This was a long-fought effort, but well worth it. Passage of the bill means we can continue providing care to hundreds of thousands of athletes, now in a seamless, effective way.”
AAOS advocacy efforts began in 2013, when the group began recruiting physicians to advocate for licensure clarity, and it ended earlier this month with a much needed bill being passed. Kudos to everyone at the AAOS who played a role in getting this legislation into law.
