SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - A recent audit from the state Department of Safety and Professional Services found just over eight-percent of doctors selected did not complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years.
WHBL News looked into if this problem occurs in Sheboygan County with its biggest health providers.
Dr. Paul Pritchard, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer of Prevea Health, says doctors in Wisconsin know they have to do this to keep practicing medicine. "Being a physician you’d know the requirement coming out of school," says Pritchard. "So it’s a little surprising that some of them let that go by."
Pritchard says it can be confusing at times to properly log events that qualify for continuing education.
While Prevea does not offer continuing education classes directly for their doctors, he says the health provider provides a provider relations and credentials departments to help doctors keep track of their hours.
"There’s people (that) are actually assigned to monitor (to) make sure that that’s done," says Pritchard. "They will send out reminders, you know, when that is coming due."
Pritchard says if a doctor fails to complete their continuing education, they are no longer allowed to work for them, and should not be allowed to practice in the state.
WHBL News did reach out to Aurora Health Care for information for this story, but our call was not returned.