The day the board's letter arrives
Most licensed professionals reply too soon. A slower first week usually gives the board a better file to read.
The letter is usually short, and it usually sounds routine. It says a complaint has been received, asks for your written response by a date, and mentions a number. It feels like a form you can fill in tonight.
Please don't. What you send back becomes part of the record, and everything after it is measured against it.
Keep everything
- The letter and its envelope, with the postmark
- Any email or voicemail from the board or an investigator
- The date you received it, written down
- The records the letter refers to, as they exist today
Leave three things alone
Don't edit, add to or tidy a chart, a log or a job file. Don't call the person you think complained. And don't answer the investigator's call until you've talked to a lawyer. A friendly conversation is still a statement.
Read for what is actually asked
Underline each question, and separately note each date. Boards often ask for less than people assume, and a response that answers the question, and only the question, is easier to close than one that explains the whole year.
Tell the right people, at the right time
Some employment contracts, malpractice policies and credentialing agreements require notice. Check them before you decide who to tell, and bring them to your first call. Telling a colleague informally is not the same as telling your employer, and the difference can matter.
Ask for time if you need it
Many boards will extend a response date if you ask in writing before it passes. Ask early, give a reason, and keep a copy.
Then call a lawyer
A first call with us is a flat fee, and it ends with a written summary. If you'd rather start with someone else, start with someone this week. The first five days are the cheapest ones to use well.