Georgia · Composite Medical Board

Inside a Georgia Composite Medical Board Investigation: From Notice to Outcome

A Georgia Composite Medical Board investigation can feel opaque, especially when the first contact is a written notice with little explanation of what comes next. The process, though, follows a defined path — from notice, through investigation and committee review, to a resolution or a hearing. Knowing each stage lets you engage from understanding rather than fear.

The notice: how you learn of an investigation

When the Board receives a complaint, its staff first review it for jurisdiction under the Medical Practice Act and decide whether an investigation is warranted. If it is, you are provided with a written notice advising you of the existence of a complaint or other information forming the basis for the Board's investigation, and you are given the opportunity to submit a written response to the allegations.

The deadline for that response is stated in the notice — commonly around thirty days. Because your written response is a central part of the record the Board will weigh, this first step is far more important than it may appear, and it is the moment to take advice rather than reply off the cuff.

How the Board investigates

Georgia's investigators have real authority: they are sworn peace officers with full police powers in the state, and they can subpoena records, documents and witnesses. An investigator gathers medical records, prescribing data from the Georgia Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, expert medical opinions and witness statements. The Attorney General's office provides legal support throughout, drafting any formal charges and presenting cases at hearings.

This is why an early, well-prepared response matters so much. The Board can compare your PDMP records against your patient charts, and it will obtain independent expert review of the standard of care. Continuing to practice in full compliance during the investigation is important; a new violation while a matter is open significantly worsens your position.

The Investigative Committee and its options

Once the evidence is gathered, the matter goes to the Board's Investigative Committee, whose recommendations shape the outcome. The Committee can close the case with no action; close it with a Letter of Concern — a non-disciplinary note highlighting an area for improvement; table it to await more information; direct further investigation; or invite the licensee to an investigative interview to explain the situation in person.

The Committee can also refer a case for peer review, where a physician who is not a Board member assesses whether the standard of care was breached, or refer it for disciplinary action. All matters heading toward suspension, revocation, or a public or private board order are referred to the Attorney General's office.

From charges to hearing

Where a case is not resolved informally, the Attorney General's office files a formal Notice of Charges and Allegations, and the matter becomes a contested case before an administrative law judge (ALJ) at the Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH), under Georgia's Administrative Procedure Act. You may be represented by counsel, present evidence and witnesses, and cross-examine the State's witnesses; the standard is a preponderance of the evidence.

The ALJ issues an initial decision, but it is not the last word. The Board may adopt the decision, modify and adopt it, or reject it — so the Board, not the ALJ, has the final say on both the findings and the sanction.

Outcomes, timeline and appeals

A matter can end in no action, a private resolution such as a confidential letter of concern or consent order, or a public resolution. Public consent orders — the most common formal outcome — are permanent, public, and reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank. The Board's own guidance is that a complaint review may take up to six months or longer; in practice, complex investigations can run considerably longer than that.

If the Board adopts an adverse decision, a defined appeal ladder follows: a request for rehearing or review; then judicial review in the superior court; then an appeal to the Georgia Court of Appeals; and finally a discretionary petition to the Supreme Court of Georgia. Each step has strict deadlines, so advice should be taken promptly once a decision is issued.

This article is general information for physicians licensed in Georgia and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory processes and the law can change, and every case turns on its own facts. If you are the subject of a complaint or investigation, seek advice from a qualified professional-license attorney or your defense organization. Last updated July 7, 2026.