Vermont Statutes Title 26. Professions and Occupations, § 1370. Complaints; investigative committee

(a)(1) Any individual, organization, or public officer may submit a written complaint to the Board alleging that any individual practicing medicine in the State committed unprofessional conduct or that an individual practiced without being licensed in violation of section 1314 of this chapter. The complaint shall specify the grounds on which the allegations of unprofessional conduct are based.

(2) A person or organization shall not be liable in a civil action for damages resulting from the good faith reporting of information to the Board about alleged incompetent, unprofessional, or unlawful conduct of a licensee.

(b)(1) The Board shall initiate an investigation of the individual complained against whenever a complaint is received. The Board may also act on its own initiative without having received a complaint.

(2) The Executive Director shall designate three or more members, including at least one public member, to serve as an investigative committee to investigate and report to the Board its findings regarding the complaint and whether an evidentiary hearing is warranted. If there is an insufficient number of members to investigate a complaint by reason of disqualification, resignation, vacancy, or necessary absence, the Commissioner of Health may, at the request of the Board, appoint ad hoc members to serve on the investigative committee for that matter only.

(3) If the investigative committee determines that an evidentiary hearing is warranted, the Executive Director shall prepare a specification of the charge or charges of unprofessional conduct made against the individual licensed by the Board, a copy of which shall be served upon the subject of the charge or charges, together with the notice of hearing set forth in subsection 1372(b) of this chapter.