Bill Summary: A09439

• Requires medical professionals to notify the Department of Health within ten calendar days of being charged with a crime in any jurisdiction or of any event meeting professional misconduct definitions.

• Adds sexual behavior without legitimate medical purpose or exploiting the practitioner-patient relationship as professional misconduct, including in-person or virtual conduct that a patient could reasonably construe as sexual.

• Reduces response time for medical professionals to answer written communications from the Department of Health from thirty days to ten days.

• Expands the definition of patient harassment to include abuse of a patient's caregiver or surrogate, in addition to the patient.

• Accelerates investigation committee timelines and modifies service procedures for charges, allowing service by multiple methods including current residential or practice addresses and to authorized attorneys.