The process with Arizona can be one of the quickest in the Nation. Why? Because they allow the Medical Schools, Hospitals, and Employers to fax the verifications directly to the Arizona Medical Board. The majority of the other Medical Boards require that the verifications be mailed by the verifying source directly to the Medical Board. Because of this MedLicense.com is able to license physicians in Arizona as quickly as 45 days after the submission of the application to the Arizona Medical Board. There are two issues of concern with Arizona.  The first concerns Hospital Privileges.  The second concerns Malpractice Suits. 

If the Physician has extensive privileging within the past 5 years and cannot remember  every hospital then a domino effect can occur thus delaying the process by 2 to 6 months. How so? The Arizona Hospital verification form requests that each hospital list all of the hospitals where they know the physician has privileges. Here is an example of how this can delay the process:

A physician lists on his application that he has had privileges with 4 hospitals over the past 5 years. The 4 hospitals complete the form and fax it to Arizona. The 4 hospitals report that they are aware that the Physician has had privileges with 8 other hospitals which are not mentioned by the physician on the application. The Arizona Medical Board then notifies the Physician that he/she has to have the 8 new hospitals verified. After the 8 new hospitals complete the form, Arizona is informed by the verifications of 5 additional hospitals. The process repeats itself thus delaying the licensing time by months. 

If the physician has one or more malpractice suits, the Arizona Medical Board requires that the physician provide a copy of the patient records which are linked to the malpractice suit. Why is this a problem? Well most facilities will not release these records due to their interpretation of HIPPA laws. Our clients have had to go to extensive means to obtain this requirement for Arizona. We haven't been tharwted as of yet due to this requirement but we do like to provide information as to what kind of problems can present themself  during the process.

Arizona does require the SPEX for applicants who have not passed a National Board Examination in the past 10 years. Unlike the other SPEX States, Arizona does not place a time limit on being Board Certified in relation to the SPEX. If you are Board Certified by a ABMS Board then you do not have to take the SPEX examination.