Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Forward
A History of Medical Regulation in the United States
Activity description
This live Grand Rounds activity aims to enhance understanding of the regulatory framework governing medical practice in order to support clinicians in navigating licensure, accountability, and evolving healthcare delivery models. It will examine the historical evolution of medical regulation in the United States, from an unregulated environment to the development of modern licensure, oversight, and accountability systems. The session will explore key drivers of reform, including patient safety concerns, scientific advances, landmark developments and the establishment of national licensing frameworks. The activity will also address contemporary challenges in medical regulation, including the balance between state-based authority and the need for national consistency, as well as the role of emerging solutions such as the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLCC).
PLEASE NOTE: These materials are intended ONLY for those who attended the live webcast held on June 11, 2026.
This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals (HCPs) who are interested in learning about UHC corporate goals, clinical guidelines and relevant academic resources.
At the end of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Describe the evolution of medical practice in the United States from an unregulated system to a standardized, licensed profession.
- Analyze the key drivers of medical regulation, including patient safety concerns, scientific advances, and professional accountability.
- Evaluate the impact of major reforms (e.g., the Flexner Report, national licensing examinations) on physician training, competency, and health care quality.
- Discuss current medical licensure frameworks, including challenges and emerging solutions (e.g., state medical boards, data-sharing systems, and the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact) and their implications for clinical practice.
Provided by
This activity is provided by Optum Health Education and UnitedHealthcare Clinical Services Learning & Performance Solutions.
Commercial support
No commercial support was received for this activity.
Required hardware/software
Please ensure you are using the web-browser Chrome and disable any pop-up blocking software. Click here for information on how to enable pop-ups.
Additional Information
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 Please click here to view the presentation. | 582.82 KB |
Presenter
Jon Thomas, MD, MBA
Medical Director
Clinical Advocacy and Support (CAS)
Clinical Coverage Review
Enterprise Clinical Services
Activity planners
Elizabeth Albert, MD
Clinical Activity Manager
Optum Health Education
Tesia A. Seufert
Clinical Quality Analyst
UnitedHealthcare Clinical Services Learning & Performance Solutions, National Training
Raquel Thompson, M. Ed, BSIT, MCSE
Lead Clinical Quality Consultant, Clinical Leadership & Accountability
UnitedHealthcare Clinical Services Learning & Performance Solutions, National Training
Tina M. Trudel, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Peer Reviewer
Optum Behavioral Health Solutions
Disclosures of relevant financial relationships
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Optum Health Education (OHE) requires all those in control of educational content to disclose their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. Ineligible companies are defined by the ACCME as companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care products used by or on patients. Individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies and regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. OHE ensures that the content is independent of commercial bias.
The presenter and activity planners have no financial relationships to disclose.
Accreditation statement
Credit designation statements
Nurses
The participant will be awarded up to 1.00 contact hour(s) of credit for attendance and completion of supplemental materials.
Nurse practitioners
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists/Pharmacy technicians
This activity is approved for 1.00 contact hour ([0.10] CEU) in states that recognize ACPE.
Attending the full program will earn 1.00 contact hour.
Unique Activity Number(s): JA0007123-9999-26-017-L01-P/T
Physicians
Optum Health Education designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
PAs
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Psychologists
Optum Health Education is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer continuing education for psychologists. Optum Health Education maintains responsibility for this program. 1.00 CE hour.
Social workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Optum Health Education is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Optum Health Education maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 live continuing education credits.
Counselors and/or marriage and family therapists
CA: The Board of Behavioral Sciences has deferred CE course approvals to APA and ASWB for its licensees. See those approvals under Psychologists and Social Workers.
Other States: If your state is not specifically listed, nearly all state Counselor and MFT boards accept either APA or ASWB approval, or are reciprocal with other state licensing board approvals. Check with your board to be sure.
AAPC-certified coders
AAPC will honor 1-for-1 CEUs for any live event offering CME credit or AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. A certificate of attendance or completion is necessary to show participation. The certificate will give the total CMEs possible for the offering. Physicians are advised to claim only the actual hours that they were present during the education. We ask that AAPC-certified members abide by this request also. One hour of instruction is worth 1 CEU.
Attendance
A certificate of attendance will be provided to learners upon completion of activity requirements, enabling participants to register with licensing boards or associations that have not been preapproved for credits. To apply for credit types not listed above, participants should use the procedure established by the specific organization from which they wish to obtain credit.
Available Credit
- 1.00 AAPC - Coders
- 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacists
- 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacy Technicians
- 1.00 AMA - Physicians
- 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
- 1.00 APA - Psychologists
- 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
These materials are intended ONLY for those who attended the live webcast held on June 11, 2026.
You must be logged into your account to participate in this activity. Get started by clicking “Continue” and completing the “Evaluation”; then follow the prompts at the bottom of the screen. At the end of the activity, you will be able to view, save or print your certificate of participation. A complete listing of your activities can be found under “My Account,” “My Activities.”