Getting Ready for Expanded Coverage: State Efforts to Understand Health Care Workforce Needs

"Colorado: Since 2004, the Colorado Health Institute has analyzed data on the state’s health care workforce collected by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. This data collection has expanded from physician-specific data to include dentists, registered nurses, social workers, psychologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Last spring, drawing on this information, the Institute reported on access to care and health care workforce issues in Colorado. In December, they released a report on how the distribution of the Colorado workforce affects the health care safety net and access to care."  Read more.  [Source: State Refor(u)m]

Changes to Medical Practice Act and the "Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act of 2010"

New legislation is impacting a number of professions across the state with changes in licensing and registration requirements, responsibilities and deadlines. Affected professions include addiction counselors, advanced practice nurses, certified public accountants, electricians, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, physicians, podiatrists, social workers, surgical technicians and professions impacted by the Skolnik Transparency Act.  The Division of Registrations, part of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, is hosting informational sessions December 1 and 9 to address these changes. Each session will open with a brief overview of the division’s role in licensing and regulating more than 47 professions, occupations and entities, tools and resources available for professionals. Sessions specific to each profession will allow division staff to answer questions, distribute support materials and provide guidance on what is now required to do business in good standing in Colorado.

Specific impacts include:

·   Advanced Practice Nurses – new legislation resulted in changes to the Nurse Practice Act, including requiring renewal for Advanced Practice and Prescriptive Authorities in addition to each licensee renewing an RN license.

·   Health Care Professionals – Skolnik Transparency Act – requires additional healthcare professionals to meet new public profile disclosure requirements relating to licenses, affiliations, business ownership interests, disciplinary actions and other information, effective July 1, 2011. 

·   Mental Health Professions – Addiction counselors, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists and social workers licensed or certified to practice in Colorado must meet new continuing competency requirements designed to ensure continuing professional development in order to renew, reinstate or reactivate their license after January 1, 2011.   

·   Physicians must understand the changes made during the 2010 legislative session by HB-10-1260 which continued the Medical Board and made changes to the Medical Practice Act.   

Questions may be submitted to Division staff at reglegislativeoutreach@dora.state.co.us. To register click here.