6. The State Board of Medical Examiners shall employ a full-time medical director and a full-time educational director to assist the board in carrying out its duties pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

a. The medical director shall be a physician who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery in the State and who is knowledgeable about, or has clinical experience in, the field of chemical dependency or addiction-oriented psychiatry. The medical director shall receive such compensation as the board shall determine and shall serve at the pleasure of the board.

The duties of the medical director shall include, but are not limited to: reviewing complaints and reports of medical malpractice, impairment, incompetence or unprofessional conduct that are made to the board or the Medical Practitioner Review Panel established pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1989, c.300 (C. 45:9-19.8), by other health care providers and by the public; coordinating and assisting in the investigation of these complaints and reports; and assisting the panel in making its recommendations and the board in making disciplinary determinations regarding a licensee. The medical director shall perform such other duties as the board may require in carrying out its responsibilities under Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

The medical director also shall serve as the board’s liaison to any licensed health care practitioner treatment program recognized by the board. The board, in conjunction with the medical director, shall establish standards for treatment and procedures for monitoring the progress of a participating practitioner’s treatment and for notifying the board when a practitioner fails to comply with the requirements of the treatment program or when a practitioner’s impairment may jeopardize or improperly risk the health, safety or life of a patient.

b. The educational director shall be an educator, experienced in the field of medical education. The educational director shall receive such compensation as the board shall determine and shall serve at the pleasure of the board.

The duties of the educational director shall include, but are not limited to, facilitating the educational directives, goals and programs of the board. The educational director shall perform other duties as required by the board to carry out its responsibilities under chapter 9 of Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

The educational director shall serve as the board’s liaison to any focused education program recognized by the board. The board, in conjunction with the educational director, shall establish standards for continuing medical education programs and focused education programs as defined in subsection i. of section 9 of P.L.1989, c.300 (C. 45:9-19.9), and procedures for notification of the board when a practitioner fails to comply with a monitoring program devised by a focused education program.

The board and the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall provide such investigative, medical consulting, administrative and clerical support as is necessary to assist the medical director and educational director in carrying out their duties.

L.1989,c.300,s.6; amended 2001, c.307, s.7.