The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners announced Wednesday that it has implemented new rules regulating medical procedures performed outside hospitals in physician offices and outpatient settings.
According to the board, the new regulations are aimed at ensuring such procedures are “as safe as possible” for patients across the state.
Under the new rules, the board will require physicians to obtain accreditation from a board-approved accrediting agency to perform many office-based surgical procedures. The procedures will now be classified by risk level, rather than only by type of anesthesia. Facilities where such procedures are performed also will be held to nationally recognized safety standards.
Minor procedures, such as biopsies or simple skin excisions, are not subject to the same requirements, according to the board.
“These types of procedures are increasingly common, but patients may not realize that not every setting is regulated the same way,” board Chairman Dr. Max Rogers said in a news release. “These updated rules are about making sure safety standards keep pace with how care is being delivered today.”
The board stressed that while many office-based procedures are routine, others “can carry higher risks depending on the type of procedure, the patient’s condition and the setting.”
“As medicine evolves, so must oversight,” Rogers said. “Our role is to protect patients—and that means making sure safety standards are strong, no matter where care is delivered.”
The rules have already taken effect, and the board is encouraging physicians to seek the appropriate accreditation and review the updated regulations. Physicians will be required to be in full compliance by January 1, 2027.
The board also encouraged patients across Alabama to be informed and proactive when undergoing office-based procedures by asking physicians about facility accreditation, the level of procedure being performed and the safety protocols in place in case of complications.
Those interested in learning more about the new regulations can visit the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners’ website.
