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In addition, DOH’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
established by the Florida Legislature in 2009 has shown
remarkable success, with 85 percent of Florida’s top 200
prescribers registered to access the PDMP database, and
95 percent of those querying patient-specific controlled
substance dispensing information.
MQA strives to make licensing easier and faster in support
of helping health care practitioners get to work. The people
who serve our country through the Armed Forces are seeing
the direct benefits. Over the past year, veterans have received
license fee waivers that were approved by the Florida
Legislature in 2013. This year, the effort was expanded to
include the new VALOR System: Veterans Application for
Licensure Online Response, which expedites licensing and
eliminates licensing fees for the six months before and after
honorable discharge. Also, the time frame to apply for a fee
waiver was extended from 24 to 60 months and broadened
to include spouses of veterans and military members. As
a former Colonel in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, I know
firsthand the sacrifices our military members and veterans
have made on behalf of our country, and I am pleased with the
improvements made to the licensure process.
I congratulate MQA on their accomplishments in 2013-2014
and look forward to the work we will do together in the coming
year.
John H. Armstrong, MD, FACS
State Surgeon General
This year, the Department is celebrating 125 years of public
health in Florida. Floridians should be proud of the myriad of
health threats we have overcome and our aggressive approach
to combat the threat of obesity and chronic disease today.
Florida continues to connect the community with the care
and health resources they need. The future of health care
embraces an increased focus on wellness, disease prevention,
health promotion and chronic disease management, all of
which include healthy weight. The obesity rate in Florida has
grown significantly, and is expected to be near 60 percent by
2030 without a change to current trends. The Department has
launched Healthiest Weight Florida, a public-private partnership,
to address this public health issue. MQA plays an integral role
with its collaborations between health care providers, other
state agencies, nonprofits, businesses and entire communities
as the campaign aims to bend the weight curve 5 percent by
2017.
This report reflects much progress in addressing controlled
substance abuse through regulation of pain management
clinics, an effort that has reduced doctor shopping and
reduced prescription drug deaths. MQA is at the forefront of the
Department’s efforts to enforce regulations and reduce over-
prescribing and unchecked dispensing of controlled substances.
Through collaboration with law enforcement partners, other
agencies and concerned entities, we have reduced the numbers
of pain management facilities and made those in business more
accountable.
As Florida’s State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health, it
gives me great pleasure to join the Division of Medical Quality
Assurance (MQA) in presenting the 2013-2014 Annual Report.
MQA exemplifies the Department’s values of Innovation,
Collaboration, Accountability, Responsiveness and Excellence
through the milestones they achieve each year.