The NC Medical Board voted to adopt revisions to two positions statements during its meeting in May. The Board approved changes to the position statements: Availability of licensees to their patients and Sexual exploitation of patients. A summary of the revisions appears below. View the revised statements, as well as a complete collection of Board position statements.

Availability of licensees to their patients
The Board voted to change the word ‘physicians’ to licensees throughout the position statement. Significant changes include the addition of a new paragraph that more explicitly informs licensees of their responsibility to provide clear instructions and information to patients on how to seek after-hours care when necessary. Another new paragraph makes clear that the position statement applies to licensees practicing telemedicine as well as traditional medicine.

Sexual exploitation of patients
The Board voted to accept significant changes to the position statement on sexual exploitation of patients. The position statement is now based, in part, upon the Federation of State Medical Board’s guidelines regarding sexual boundaries. The statement now distinguishes between two types of professional sexual misconduct: sexual impropriety and sexual violation. More detailed descriptions of each behavior type are also now provided.