The goal of the Federation of State Medical Boards and its individual state members is to protect the public, reflecting the fundamental obligation of the physician expressed in the Latin: Primum non nocere—"first, do no harm." The Boards' duties in qual ity assurance are implemented through their two ma jor areas of responsibility—licensure and discipline. They fulfill their licensure responsibilities through such processes as review of qualifying examinations, credentialing, and the administration of licensing ex aminations. Their disciplinary responsibilities are carried out through investigation, review and action upon complaints and referrals regarding possible problem physicians. There is an increasing emphasis on mandatory reporting programs, and the Federa tion's Physician Disciplinary Data Bank has become a computerized repository for much of this informa tion. The Health Care Quality Improvement Act (PL 99-660) represents an effort to enhance a coordinated national strategy.
