LSBME advisory committee refers OT license case 52928 to investigations, votes to request full report

The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners' Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee voted Friday to refer case number 52928 to the agency's investigations department and to request a full investigative report before making a licensing recommendation.

The action came after the advisory committee presented three recommendations: refer the case to investigations for further evaluation, request the investigations department's full report upon completion, and review that report to form a recommendation to the full board on possible licensing. "On the matter of case number 52928, the advisory committee recommends that this case be referred to the investigations department for further evaluation," the committee chair read to the public meeting.

Kathleen Norcross moved to accept the advisory committee's recommendations; Glenn Wallace seconded the motion. The chair then called for a voice vote. Multiple members answered "aye" and the chair announced the motion had passed. The committee did not place a numeric roll-call vote on the public record; only three verbal "aye" responses were audible on the recording.

During public comment, Blair Melito thanked the committee for meeting and said she was "looking forward to getting back into practicing OT, and the hospital will be very grateful." When Melito asked staff what the referral "means or entails" and how long it might take, Oloma James, Director of Licensing, replied: "The committee has felt that further investigation into your licensing process is warranted, and they have referred it to our investigations department to do so." James told Melito the length of the investigation "depends upon your cooperation" and that staff would contact her when investigators begin and again when they conclude.

The committee recorded a procedural plan: staff will refer the case to investigations, the investigations department will prepare a full report, the advisory committee will review that report, and then the advisory committee will make a recommendation to the board about licensing. The meeting adjourned at 12:49 p.m.

Next steps: the investigations department will contact the individual named in the investigation and produce a report; the advisory committee will review that report and forward a recommendation to the full Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners when ready.