As required by California Legislation HSC §1261.4 all nursing home medical directors* in California must be certified by PALTmed. HSC §1261.4 (previously AB 749) will help ensure that every medical director in California is prepared to provide effective oversight of quality and safety in their nursing homes. A medical director already employed in a skilled nursing facility as of January 1, 2022, has five years (until January 1, 2027) to become a Certified Medical Director. 

Click here for complete details and exemptions.

Initial Steps to Complete Certification of Medical Director (CMD) - Click here for downloadable copy.

Meet California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Licensing and Certification Program, requirement to submit form HS 215A.

• Facility Administrator and Medical Director should collaboratively complete CDPH Form HS 215A; the facility is responsible for submitting the required documents to CDPH.
• Establish a timeline for Medical Director to complete CMD requirements.
  
• Join the PALTmed to receive discounts Core Curriculum and Core Synthesis.
• Become a member of the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine (CALTCM) to stay up to date and fulfill CMD educational requirements within California by attending CALTCM’s Annual Meeting, Leadership in Management in Geriatrics (LMG), and other educational courses.
• Enroll in PALTmed Online Core Curriculum.
• Part 1: Online curriculum must be completed within six months.
• Contact PALTmed ([email protected]) to receive a letter documenting the medical director’s certification status (e.g. has initiated the process, registered for the Core Curriculum, etc.).

Finalize and submit CDPH Form HS 215A with additional documents:

• Utilize Cover Letter template from CALTCM.
• Completed CDPH Form HS 215A.
• Medical Director résumé.
• Letter from ABPLM documenting medical director’s certification status.
• Submit to CDPH Centralized Applications Branch (CAB).  (MAIL)

  California Department of Public Health

  Licensing and Certification Program
  Centralized Applications Branch
  P.O. Box 997377, MS 3207
  Sacramento, CA 95899-7377 

 Supplemental resources:

• CDPH Skilled Nursing Facility Change of Medical Director (Webpage)
• Cover Letter: HS215A (Template)
• HS 215A Example
• AFL 21-46
• Alan Horowitz Article - https://www.agg.com/news-insights/publications/california-to-require-certification-for-nursing-home-medical-directors/

CALTCM Webpage: Certified Medical Director (CMD) Information