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MQA Q4 2015 - 2016
Lucy Gee,
MQA Division Director
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
3
It is with great pleasure I present to you the
Quarterly Performance Report
for
the fourth quarter of the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The Division of Medical Quality
Assurance (MQA) celebrated a number of successes over the past quarter, many
of which are highlighted in this report. The
QPR
features the projects, initiatives
and excellent customer service that exemplify the core values of the Department.
MQA is constantly seeking ways to improve our business processes and provide
quality service to the people of Florida. In the fourth quarter, MQA launched the
new health care complaint portal in partnership with the Agency for Health Care
Administration. This innovative tool was created to assist Florida’s residents and
visitors in filing complaints with the appropriate state agency. Additionally, the
new background screening and practitioner notification services unit was created
to provide centralized background screening services to the regulatory boards
requiring criminal history screening of initial licensure and renewal applicants.
The division is committed to providing compassionate response in times of
crisis. In the wake of the tragic events at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the Florida
Board of Nursing visited with nursing staff and other health care professionals
at the Orlando Regional Medical Center to thank them for their commitment to
protecting Floridians. We are proud to license the nation’s most talented health
care work force who serve with dignity and resilience.
Bureau of Operations
During the fourth quarter, the Bureau of Operations significantly improved the number of Certified Nursing Assistants
(CNAs) who successfully completed the first biennial renewal cycle in MQA’s upgraded licensing and renewal system.
Units within the bureau collaborated to create targeted messages for CNAs, resulting in a 20 percent increase for
CNAs who had successfully renewed by the expiration date from the previous biennial renewal cycle. Additionally,
staff from the bureau were recognized at Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Prudential Productivity Award ceremony for their
work on the Veterans Application for Licensure Online Response (VALOR) system.
Bureau of Health Care Practitioner Regulation
During the fourth quarter, the Bureau of Health Care Practitioner Regulation demonstrated the Department’s
core values of responsiveness and excellence. Board of Nursing Executive Director, Joe Baker Jr., and Program
Administrator, Jessica Hollingsworth, visited the Orlando Regional Medical Center to thank staff for their work
after the Pulse nightclub tragedy. Additionally, the Board of Pharmacy and Board of Medicine demonstrated the
Department’s core value of collaboration by hosting a joint board meeting to develop standards of practice for the
filling of controlled substance prescriptions and to discuss legislation from the 2016 legislative session that may
impact ordering medications.
Bureau of Enforcement
During the fourth quarter, the Bureau of Enforcement continued to fulfill the Department’s mission to protect,
promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. The
bureau’s Unlicensed Activity (ULA) unit has made significant progress in the number of complaints received and
processed over the past year. With increased marketing and educational outreach to the general public, as well as
strengthened partnerships with law enforcement and other stakeholders, the unit received a total of
338 unlicensed activity complaints during the fourth quarter. Ninety-seven percent of these complaints were referred
for investigations, while 131 resulted in cease and desist notices.
BUREAU MESSAGES