Opioid prescribing is the most frequently cited regulatory issue state medical boards are watching in 2018, according to a Federation of State Medical Boards survey released Jan. 17.
The Federation of State Medical Boards is a national nonprofit that represents medical boards in the U.S. For the survey, the organization polled 51 representatives from state medical boards about what they considered the most important regulatory issues. Respondents were asked to choose the five most important topics from a predetermined list of 16 options.
Here are the five most frequently cited topics.
1. Resources related to opioid prescribing: 74 percent
2. Telemedicine: 74 percent
3. Physician stress and burnout: 44 percent
4. Medical marijuana: 42 percent
5. Interstate Medical Licensure Compact: 38 percent