Bill would pave way for preliminary licenses for providers awaiting credentials
Medical professionals waiting for permanent credentials could be granted preliminary licenses under a bill that received a hearing last week in the Assembly Committee on Regulatory Licensing Reform. The provisional credentials would expire upon receival or denial of the permanent license.
Rep. Joy Goeben, R-Hobart, and committee Chair Rep. Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers, introduced the legislation, which is aimed at addressing persistent licensing delays by the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
“Demand for these high-skilled jobs is growing,” Goeben said. “Though DSPS is improving and these delays are shortened, it’s not sufficient to meet the needs of employers and citizens.”
Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, co-sponsored the bill. She clarified that graduates of medical training programs have already completed their clinical and classroom experiences. She also said healthcare systems have no incentive to hire someone who could serve as a liability.
“For me, the safety issue is the understaffing,” said Cabral-Guevara.
Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde, D-Milwaukee, expressed logistical concerns about the bill. While the application for the preliminary license would likely consist of a form and documents the medical professional and their employer submit, it is still a separate application from the full licensing process.
“Do you think that we should be talking about more staffing for the department to do both of those?” said Moore Omokunde. “Are we potentially gumming up the system where it would take longer?”
In response, Goeben said, “We need to make sure that we are getting people working.”
Medical professionals leave Wisconsin when the licensing process takes too long, Cabral-Guevara said. She cited a recent experience with a Wisconsin-based dermatologist looking to onboard two physicians who had trouble getting licensed efficiently.
“One of them ended up leaving, one of them just kind of sat,” Cabral-Guevara said. “We’re losing folks.”
– Elizabeth Casolo for Wisconsin Health News
