Comptroller reveals delays in the investigations of grievances or complaints of the Medical Licensing and Discipline Board
The Office of the Comptroller of Puerto Rico (OCPR) issued a qualified opinion on the operations related to the investigations of grievances or complaints for unprofessional conduct and medical malpractice of the Medical Licensing and Discipline Board of the Department of Health. A qualified opinion is issued when the noncompliances, individually or together, are significant but not pervasive.
The Report reveals that, as of September 30, 2024, the Board had not issued a timely resolution on the grievances or complaints in 415 cases. Of these, 101 cases were related to professional conduct, the oldest unresolved since 2006, and 314 cases of medical malpractice pending resolution since 2014.
The regulation provides that every case subject to an adjudicative proceeding must be resolved within six months of its filing. The Board, in addition, must initiate an investigation as soon as it receives any information about professional malpractice, whether already adjudicated or in the process of being resolved.
The one-finding audit notes that a similar situation had already been commented on in Audit Report DA-22-08 of January 14, 2022.
The Report recommends that the executive director of the Board continue with the steps necessary so that the grievances are investigated in accordance with Acts 38-2017 and 139-2008, as well as the General Regulation of 2016.
The Board had a budget of $2.4 million in 2022, $3.1 million in 2023, and $4.4 million in 2024. In addition, it received income for $9.9 million and had expenses for $4.6 million for the same period.
This specific-scope compliance audit covers the period from March 1, 2022, to September 30, 2024,
Audit Report OC-25-64 is available on our website: www.ocpr.gov.pr
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