Secretary of State Reminds Pennsylvanians to Verify Status of Licensed Professionals Before Using Services

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In recognition of American Heart Month, Secretary of State Pedro A. Cortés reminds Pennsylvanians to go online and verify the license status of any medical professional in the commonwealth.

"This is the perfect month to show your loved ones how much you value having them by encouraging them to have a medical checkup," said Secretary Cortés. "First, however, you must ensure that the providers for you and your loved ones are verified health professionals, and our site can help you with that."

The Pennsylvania Licensing System Verification service allows users to search for license information on individuals and businesses regulated by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA) at pals.pa.gov/verify. The online database also indicates if a medical professional has been subject to disciplinary action in the past.

BPOA provides administrative, logistical, and legal support services to 29 professional and occupational licensing boards and commissions. Of the 29 boards and commissions, 16 are health-related.

Over the past year, BPOA has made significant improvements to its online services. BPOA has completed updates to the license verification feature. BPOA now is developing a new online licensing system for use by licensees and new applicants. The Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) will include features such as a Continuing Education tracking dashboard, the ability to upload documents electronically to the relevant Board office, and a mobile friendly application to verify and renew licensure. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year. 

BPOA recently began offering an interpreter feature for licensees and applicants of limited English proficiency. The service allows real-time interpreters of more than 200 languages. It is expected to be fully implemented by mid-February.

For more information about BPOA and its services, visit dos.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT:   Wanda Murren, 717-783-1621

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State

Related Links

http://www.dos.pa.gov