OMBC enforcement reports spike in complaints and expands citation use

The Osteopathic Medical Board of California’s enforcement team told members Jan. 22 that complaints and formal investigations have risen and that staff are starting to use recently expanded citation authority.

Enforcement Program Manager Christie Libermento reported that the board has received 630 complaints and 12 arrest/conviction notifications year‑to‑date (a reported 26% increase). The board also has 733 pending enforcement cases, including 134 active formal investigations and 20 matters currently with the Attorney General’s Office. Since the expansion of administrative citation authority effective Oct. 1, 2025, staff issued eight administrative citations during the quarter.

Performance measures were presented: the average days to acknowledge intake (PM2) is five days (target 10), and the average days to complete desk/formal investigations that are not referred to the AG (PM3) is 222 days (target 360). Libermento and executive staff noted that measures tied to AG timelines (PM4) fluctuate due to outside calendars and that the board is still clearing a multi‑year backlog of complex cases.

Consumer advocates at the meeting commended outreach that increased complainant engagement and urged the board to provide clearer guidance on what complainants should include and to report educational letters and reasons for case closures. Staff said they will continue to increase the use of citations where appropriate and will report enforcement trends at future meetings.