2023 Maryland Statutes › Health Occupations › Title 14 - Physicians › Subtitle 5G - Genetic Counselors › Section 14-5G-18 - Grounds Supporting Possible Actions by Disciplinary Panel -- Opportunity for Board Hearing -- Conviction of Licensee -- Fines -- Additional Terms and Conditions

(a)    Subject to the hearing provisions of § 14–405 of this title, a disciplinary panel, on the affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum of the disciplinary panel, may deny a license to any applicant, reprimand any licensee, place any licensee on probation, or suspend or revoke a license, if the applicant or licensee:
(1)    Fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a license for the applicant or licensee or for another;
(2)    Fraudulently or deceptively uses a license;
(3)    Is guilty of unprofessional or immoral conduct while practicing genetic counseling;
(4)    Is professionally, physically, or mentally incompetent;
(5)    Abandons a patient;
(6)    Is habitually intoxicated;
(7)    Is addicted to or habitually abuses any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance as defined in § 5–101 of the Criminal Law Article;
(8)    Provides professional services while:
(i)    Under the influence of alcohol; or
(ii)    Using any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance as defined in § 5–101 of the Criminal Law Article or any other drug that is in excess of therapeutic amounts or without valid medical indication;
(9)    Promotes the sale of services, drugs, devices, appliances, or goods to a patient so as to exploit the patient for financial gain;
(10)    Willfully makes or files a false report or record in the practice of genetic counseling;
(11)    Willfully fails to file or record any report as required under law, willfully impedes or obstructs the filing or recording of a report, or induces another to fail to file or record a report;
(12)    Breaches patient confidentiality;
(13)    Pays or agrees to pay any sum or provide any form of remuneration or material benefit to any person for bringing or referring a patient or accepts or agrees to accept any sum or any form of remuneration or material benefit from an individual for bringing or referring a patient;
(14)    Knowingly makes a misrepresentation while practicing genetic counseling;
(15)    Knowingly practices genetic counseling with an unauthorized individual or aids an unauthorized individual in practicing genetic counseling;
(16)    Knowingly delegates a genetic counseling duty to an unlicensed individual;
(17)    Grossly overutilizes health care services;
(18)    Offers, undertakes, or agrees to cure or treat disease by a secret method, treatment, or medicine;
(19)    Is disciplined by a licensing or disciplinary authority or is convicted or disciplined by a court of any state or country or is disciplined by any branch of the United States uniformed services or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for an act that would be grounds for disciplinary action under the Board’s disciplinary statutes;
(20)    Fails to meet appropriate standards for the delivery of genetic counseling services;
(21)    Knowingly submits false statements to collect fees for which services are not provided;
(22)    (i)    Has been subject to investigation or disciplinary action by a licensing or disciplinary authority or by a court of any state or country for an act that would be grounds for disciplinary action under the Board’s disciplinary statutes; and
(ii)    Has:
1.    Surrendered the license, if any, issued by the state or country; or
2.    Allowed the license, if any, issued by the state or country to expire or lapse;
(23)    Knowingly fails to report suspected child abuse in violation of § 5–704 of the Family Law Article;
(24)    Practices or attempts to practice beyond the authorized scope of practice;
(25)    Refuses, withholds from, denies, or discriminates against an individual with regard to the provision of professional services for which the licensee is licensed and qualified to render because the individual is HIV positive;
(26)    Practices or attempts to practice genetic counseling procedures or uses or attempts to use genetic assessments if the applicant or licensee has not received education and training in the performance of the procedure or the use of the genetic assessment;
(27)    Fails to cooperate with a lawful investigation of the Board or a disciplinary panel;
(28)    Fails to complete a criminal history records check under § 14–308.1 of this title; or
(29)    Violates any provision of this title or any rule or regulation pertaining to genetic counseling that is adopted by the Board, the State, or the federal government.
(b)    Except as otherwise provided in the Administrative Procedure Act, before the Board or a disciplinary panel takes any action under subsection (a) of this section, it shall give the individual against whom the action is contemplated an opportunity for a hearing before the Board or the disciplinary panel in accordance with the hearing requirements of § 14–405 of this title.
(c)    (1)    On the filing of certified docket entries with the Board by the Office of the Attorney General, a disciplinary panel shall order the suspension of a license if the licensee is convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere with respect to a crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside.
(2)    After completion of the appellate process, if the conviction has not been reversed or the plea has not been set aside with respect to a crime involving moral turpitude, a disciplinary panel shall order the revocation of a license on the certification by the Office of the Attorney General.
(d)    (1)    If, after a hearing under § 14–405 of this title, a disciplinary panel finds that there are grounds under subsection (a) of this section to suspend or revoke a license, to reprimand a licensee, or to place a licensee on probation, the disciplinary panel may impose a fine subject to the Board’s regulations in addition to suspending or revoking the license, reprimanding the licensee, or placing the licensee on probation.
(2)    The Board shall pay any fines collected under this section into the General Fund of the State.
(e)    In addition to any sanction authorized under this section, a disciplinary panel may require a licensee to comply with specified terms and conditions determined by the disciplinary panel.