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Annual Report 2015 - 2016
APPENDIX: INFORMATION TABLE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) is
dedicated to the mission of the Florida Department of
Health to protect, promote and improve the health of all
people in Florida through integrated state, county and
community efforts. Working in conjunction with 22 boards
and six councils, MQA licenses and regulates seven types
of health care facilities and more than 200 license types
in over 40 professions. The 2015-2016 Annual Report for
MQA, as required by section 456.026, Florida Statutes,
contains the division’s long-range plan and performance
data and statistics related to the regulation of health care
practitioners and facilities established in section 20.43(3)
(g), Florida Statutes. Additionally, this report includes
financial information relating to the division’s revenues,
expenditures, cash balances and adequacy of existing fees
for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The information provided in
this report is organized around MQA’s three key processes
of licensure, enforcement and information, with an
emphasis on performance-driven results.
In the area of licensure, MQA is consistently focused on
improving our business processes to meet the demands
of a growing health care industry. During the 2015-2016
fiscal year, the division issued 100,244 initial health care
profession licenses which is a three percent increase from
the number of initial licensees issued during the previous
fiscal year. In order to best serve Florida’s 1.2 million health
care professionals, the division recently launched the new
and improved Online Services Portal. This portal provides a
new, user-friendly system that allows health care licensees
and applicants to have more control over their licenses
and applications. Currently, over 94 percent of health care
practitioners are renewing their licenses online.
The Department is committed to making Florida a
welcoming place to live and work for our armed forces
and their families. Effective July 1, 2016, the Veterans
Application for Licensure Online Response (VALOR) program
for expedited licensing and fee waivers was expanded to a
broader group of qualified military veterans and spouses
of active duty service members for most health care
professions. During the 2015-2016 fiscal year, 126 military
veterans were licensed through VALOR and anticipates an
increased number of licenses the next fiscal year.
The Department has strengthened its investigative and
enforcement efforts to ensure the safety of Florida’s
residents and visitors. During the 2015-2016 fiscal year,
MQA investigators followed up on 20,772 complaints
filed against licensees and the Department issued 267
emergency orders restricting and/or suspending licenses of
health care practitioners for serious violations that posed
an immediate and serious threat to the general public.
The Department’s Unlicensed Activity (ULA) program is
dedicated to protecting Florida’s residents and visitors from
the potentially serious and dangerous consequences of
receiving health care services from an unlicensed person.
The ULA unit works in conjunction with law enforcement
and the state attorney’s offices to prosecute individuals
practicing without a license and actively provides education
and outreach to stakeholders with a vested interest in
protecting the public. During the 2015-2016 fiscal year, ULA
investigators looked into 1,430 tips regarding unlicensed
activity and issued 628 cease and desist notices, a 58
percent increase from the previous fiscal year.
In the area of information, MQA tracked, monitored and
responded to 5,433 public record requests and 281
media requests. Through its commitment to providing
excellent customer service, MQA’s Customer Call Center
received and responded to 536,983 requests. Additionally,
customers have the option to provide feedback through the
Online Customer Service System.
Unhealthy weight remains one of the top health threats
and MQA remains committed to helping achieve the
Department’s goal to be the healthiest state in the nation.
The division, through its board and councils, continued
to facilitate conversations about healthy weight between
health care practitioners and the general public. This fiscal
year MQA accounted for a total of 85 Healthiest Weight
related events and reached more than 8,600 people.
Events included 5K fun runs, board and liaison meetings,
a sponsored bike ride and public outreach. The Bureau of
Enforcement also launched a challenge called “Spring into
Action” to encourage staff to stay active and healthy.
The division is constantly reviewing the adequacy of the
MQA trust fund. During the past year, the MQA trust fund
maintained a sufficient cash balance, as recurring revenues
are adequate to cover existing recurring expenditures.
MQA is committed to ensuring administrative costs foster a
healthy and successful business environment for the health
care industry in the state of Florida.
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