The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) announced the Public Health Code – General Rules have been revised to require implicit bias training for physicians and licensees in 24 other health care professions, effective June 1, 2022.  This action is the result of an Executive Directive issued in July of 2020.

The requirements apply to both new applicants as well as those renewing their existing licenses or registrations.  An applicant for license renewal shall have completed a minimum of 1 hour of implicit bias training for each year of the applicant’s license or registration cycle.  An applicant for new licensure shall have completed a minimum of 2 hours of implicit bias training within the 5 years immediately preceding issuance of the license or registration.

The rules outline that content must include:

• Information on implicit bias, equitable access to health care, serving a diverse population, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and cultural sensitivity.
• Strategies to remedy the negative impact of implicit bias by recognizing and understanding how it impacts perception, judgment, and actions that may result in inequitable decision making, failure to effectively communicate, and result in barriers and disparities in the access to and delivery of health care services.
• The historical basis and present consequences of implicit biases based on an individual’s characteristics.
• Discussion of current research on implicit bias in the access to and delivery of health care services.

Training must include strategies to reduce disparities in access to and delivery of health care services and the administration of pre- and post-test implicit bias assessments.

Acceptable sponsors of this training includes:  nationally-recognized or state-recognized health-related organization, a state or federal agency, accredited college or university or an organization specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.

Acceptable modalities of training are a teleconference or webinar that permits live synchronous interaction, a live presentation or an interactive online instruction.

Please note again, the effective date is in one year.   MSMS has asked LARA to clarify several areas of the new rule including the implementation dates for a three-year license and if courses taken prior to the effective date will be accepted.   The MSMS Foundation will provide educational opportunities for physicians that meet these new requirements this fall.   

Please see the Public Health Code – General Rules for the complete language regarding these changes.