Bill > S1480

This bill requires the Board of Registration in Medicine to collect voluntary demographic and professional data from physicians in Massachusetts starting January 1, 2027, with the goal of understanding physician workforce diversity. When physicians apply for or renew their medical licenses, they will be asked to provide information such as race, ethnicity, gender identity, linguistic abilities, medical specialty, practice locations, duration of practice in Massachusetts, and employment status. Participation is voluntary, and providing this data will not impact licensure decisions. The Center for Health Information and Analysis will receive this data, aggregate and de-identify it, and make it publicly available on their website within 60 days after each year's end. The data is intended to help assess how physician workforce diversity might relate to health outcomes in Massachusetts. The bill also requires the Center for Health Information and Analysis to report on the collected data annually to the state legislature, the Joint Committee on Public Health, and the Department of Public Health by February 28th each year. The bill will become effective 90 days after its enactment, and importantly, the Board and Center are prohibited from selling the collected information to third parties.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1480