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MQA Q1 2015 - 2016
The Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) Strategic Planning Services (SPS) unit
hosted a 5K Renewal Run at the Florida Medical Association’s (FMA) Annual Meeting in
Orlando on August 1, 2015. This was the third 5K MQA held in conjunction with the FMA.
SPS promoted the Are You Renewal Ready? (AYRR) and Healthiest Weight campaigns to
nearly 900 FMA attendees. Deputy Secretary for Health, Dr. Celeste Philip, encouraged
participants to promote the Healthiest Weight message to their patients, in their workplace
and for themselves. The AYRR campaign promotes the continuing education and renewal
requirements for health care practitioners. Communications Manager Debora Hall, Strategy
Managers Nick Van Der Linden and Jamie McNease, and AYRR Marketers Karen Lambert
and Alicia Cartwright facilitated the successful event.
Robin McKenzie, Program Administrator for the Mental Health Professions, worked with
educators to produce a two-hour webinar discussing issues related to mental health
counselor licensing issues. The webinar was presented on August 14 and covered a variety
of topics including Florida’s registered intern registration requirements, Chapter 491, Florida
Statutes, Qualified Supervisor requirements, and how the board office is involved with
licensed mental health counselors and their practices. Ms. McKenzie answered numerous
questions throughout the webinar and provided excellent customer service. The PowerPoint
presentation is available on YouTube to educators who are interested in understanding the
licensing and enforcement process.
MQA and Healthiest Weight Florida recently teamed up to host a meeting with the Healthiest
Weight Liaisons to MQA’s 22 boards and six councils. Department staff presented on
Healthiest Weight Florida’s strategic goals and programs. Andre Ourso, Executive Director
for the Board of Medicine, and Raphlal R. Gooljar, CPO, MA, Florida Board of Orthotists and
Prosthetists member, presented on their Healthiest Weight success stories. Additionally, the
board liaisons created work plans and made commitments to promote the Healthiest Weight
Florida initiative among their boards and associations and within their practice.
Debra Boutwell and Terence Bethea, regulatory specialists with the Board of Occupational
Therapy, demonstrated significant improvements in application processing performance
over the past fiscal year. Despite a 9.3 percent increase in applications processed, this
team reduced the average number of days to issue a license by 13.95 days, which is a 20.1
percent decrease. Total application processing time was reduced by 5.13 days, which is a
45.7 percent decrease. The annual mean wage in Florida for an occupational therapist is
$80,810 and $60,650 for occupational therapy assistants. These regulatory specialists
have given many practitioners the ability to begin work quickly, which has made a positive
and long-lasting impact on the state’s economy.
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COLLABORATION
We use teamwork to achieve common goals and solve problems.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We perform with integrity.