A new national report shows that Alabama is making significant progress in expanding access to care by allowing more qualified physicians from other states to serve patients here.
The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners says the report from the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission, IMLCC, shows Alabama has seen a 126 percent increase in the number of medical licenses issued through the Compact over the past four years.
The IMLCC is a multi-state agreement that streamlines the medical licensure process for qualified physicians who want to practice across state lines.
In addition, Alabama also ranks among the top five states—alongside Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois and Arizona—for the number of physician licenses issued through this multi-state process.
“This growth is more than a statistic, it’s a step forward to ensuring patients across our state have better access to qualified physicians,” said Dr. Max Rogers, chair of the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. “Through the Compact, we’re making it easier for physicians to practice in Alabama, serve patients and uphold the high standards our Board is committed to maintaining.”
The progress is especially noteworthy in light of recent challenges. For 18 months, Alabama was among a handful of states that was unable to fully participate in the Compact due to the FBI’s decision to block the states from conducting background checks required for Compact licenses.
The Board of Medical Examiners and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency worked with U.S. Senator Katie Britt and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District Prim Escalona to convince the FBI to reverse course, restoring Alabama’s full participation in the IMLCC.
Alabama was among the first states to join the Compact in 2017, and continues to support efforts to expand access to high-quality medical care through thoughtful licensure reforms. In addition to making it easier for qualified physicians to practice in Alabama, the Compact also facilitates telemedicine—further improving patient access, especially in areas where care may be limited.
The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners is the state regulatory and law enforcement agency responsible for regulating the practice of medicine in Alabama.
