The Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) program licenses health care practitioners who meet statutory standards, enforces laws and rules governing health care practitioners, and provides information to assist the public in making informed health care decisions.
In Florida, health care practitioners are governed by professional licensing boards or councils. While board member are appointed by the Governor, council members are appointed by the State Surgeon General or the board under which the council operates. Members serve to conduct disciplinary hearings, promulgate rules, develop proposed legislation, approve continuing education providers and courses, and review licensure applications.
The boards and councils are housed within the Department of Health. The division of MQA coordinates, supports, and manages the programs and services of the regulatory boards and councils and department-administered healthcare professions. The program also directly regulates some health care facilities.
Currently, the program, in conjunction with 22 boards and four councils, regulates licenses in 59 professions and 10 types of health care facilities (dental laboratories, electrolysis facilities, massage establishments, office surgery facilities, pain management clinics, optical establishments, pharmacies, and resident and nonresident sterile compounding pharmacies.)
For professions regulated by boards and councils, information about the boards and councils, including minutes of board meetings and the board's meeting schedule, may be available via the MQA website by clicking on the appropriate profession in the list. Information on each profession's licensure and registration process and other requirements, such as continuing education and license renewal requirements, may also be available.
The program has 180 days from the receipt of a complaint to complete an initial investigation and make a recommendation concerning the existence of probable cause. In Fiscal Year 2021-2022, the program investigated 5,769 legally sufficient complaints and determined that probable cause for pressing charges against a licensee existed for 1,331 cases. For Fiscal Year 2021-2022, 97.34% of complaints were investigated for probable cause within 180 days, which was above the approved standard of 90%.
In addition, for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, the department received 1,064 complaints alleging unlicensed activity. During the same year, 1,106 unlicensed activity complaints were referred for investigation and the department made 607 referrals to law enforcement. Unlicensed activity is a criminal offense and requires coordination with law enforcement.
Fund | Salary Rate/ Position | General Revenue | Trust Funds | |
---|---|---|---|---|
SALARY RATE | ||||
POSITIONS | ||||
SALARIES AND BENEFITS | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
EXPENSES | ||||
FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
OPERATING CAPITAL OUTLAY | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
ACQUISITION OF MOTOR VEHICLES | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
UNLICENSED ACTIVITIES | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
TRANSFER TO DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
CONTRACTED SERVICES | ||||
FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
GRANTS AND AIDS - CONTRACTED SERVICES | ||||
FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND | ||||
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
RISK MANAGEMENT INSURANCE | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
LEASE OR LEASE-PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES - HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES PURCHASED PER STATEWIDE CONTRACT | ||||
FROM MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
TOTAL |
0 |
76,263,051 |
The 2023 Legislature enacted several laws related to the practice of health care in Florida.
Florida's Participation in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Would Require Statutory Changes to Avoid Legal Conflicts, Report 19-07, October 2019 |
Other Reports
Reports and Publications, Division of Medical Quality Assurance
2022 Florida Physician Workforce Annual Report, Department of Health
Auditor General reports related to Medical Quality Assurance are available on its website
Websites of Interest
Federation of State Medical Boards
National Practitioner Data Bank
Performance Information
Jennifer L. Wenhold, Director, Medical Quality Assurance, 850-488-0595
Website