Physicians should be aware of some recent reports of attempts at fraud of physicians offices by people posing as investigators of the State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO).
During COVID-19, investigators are doing more work via phone contacts, which can lead to more opportunities for fraud.
Doctors have asked the Medical Board to institute a new rapid response process to verify legitimate investigative inquiries, but in the meantime, offices should be aware of the potential for fraud and that it might take a period of time to call the Medical Board to verify the authenticity of the request.
Any physicians with suggestions on this subject should feel free to contact the CMA's CEO, Bob Falcone, MD at rfalcone@cmafohio.org