AB583 was signed into law whereby California physicians will be required to inform their patients that they are licensed by the Medical Board of California, and to provide patients with the Medial Board of California’s contact information. The Office of Administrative Law recently approved these regulations, which are intended to let consumers know where to go for information on or with complaints about California medical doctors.
The new regulations, which take effect June 27, 2010, require physicians to provide this notice by one of three methods:

• Prominently posting a sign in an area of their offices that is conspicuous to patients, in at least 48-point type in Arial font.
• Including the notice in a written statement, signed and dated by the patient or patient’s representative, and kept in that patient’s file, stating the patient understands the physician is licensed and regulated by the board.
• Including the notice in a statement on letterhead, discharge instructions, or other document given to a patient or the patient’s representative; the notice must be placed immediately above the patient’s signature line in at least 14-point type.

Regardless of which method you choose, the notice must read as follows: “NOTICE TO CONSUMERS: Medical doctors are licensed and regulated by the Medical Board of California, (800) 633-2322, www.mbc.ca.gov.”