Practice Description - Instructions, Terms and Conditions
Creating a Practice Description is easy:
- Read the Terms of Agreement below to ensure compliance with Texas Medical Board (TMB) rules.
- Create your Practice Description.
Note: Fonts and formatting are predefined. Each listing has a maximum of eight (8) lines, 70 characters per line. Your Practice Description will be published as soon as the Submit New Description button is selected.
Click here for a sample Practice Description.
Steps to create/edit your Practice Description:
- Go to the “Manage Your Practice Description” section, which is located at the bottom of your profile below the “How Others Will See Your Practice Description” section.
- On this page, you then have the option to click the box that says, “Check this box if you want the description to apply to all HCMS member physicians in your practice.” If you don’t want this, then proceed.
- Enter your practice description details, then click the “Submit New Description” button. The screen will automatically refresh and display your Practice Description. If you need to edit, make your changes and click the “Update Description” button.
TERMS OF AGREEMENT FOR PRACTICE DESCRIPTION IN THE PHYSICIAN DIRECTORY
Publication: Your online Practice Description will be published automatically for others to see once entered.
Rates: There is no cost for your Practice Description.
Eligibility: Only HCMS members are included in the Physician Directory.
Liability: Each practice is solely responsible for the accuracy of the information submitted. Neither Medserv, Inc. nor HCMS shall be responsible for errors in any listing due to errors in copy submitted by the practice, including any fines levied for violations of advertising rules. In the event of any other errors, the liability of Medserv, Inc. and HCMS shall be limited to the return of any charges paid by the practice to HCMS. The practice assumes full and complete responsibility and liability for the content of their listing. The practice shall indemnify and hold Medserv, Inc. and HCMS harmless against any demands, claims, or liability for content.
As you compose your Practice Description be sure to follow TMB rules for promoting your specialization. You may use “board certified” or something similar only if the certifying organization meets strict criteria set by TMB. Don’t stretch the use of “board certified” or similar terms. Don’t use “board certified” if the certification has expired and you have not renewed it by the time the Practice Description is published. Also, don’t use misleading terms such as “board eligible” and “board qualified.”
You can advertise a specialty as a “field of interest.” However, each listing of a field of interest must include the phrase “Not certified by an organization recognized by the TMB.” This statement must be separate from other statements and be “displayed conspicuously with no abbreviations, changes, or additions in the quoted language.” For example, a listing cannot state, “Certified by American Academy of Family Practice,” because this organization does not meet TMB criteria for certifying organizations. The listing could say: “Member of the American Academy of Family Practice. Not certified by an organization recognized by the TMB.”
If you violate TMB rules on advertising board certification, the board may take legal action to remove the offending listing, levy a fine, and publicly document your misdeed. The Board may even report it to the National Practitioner Data Bank.
Disclaimer: The inclusion of the Practice Description in the Physician Directory shall not constitute an endorsement of the practice or its services by either Medserv, Inc. or HCMS.
By choosing this PROCEED TO NEXT STEP link, I agree to these TERMS OF AGREEMENT.
For questions, contact Debbi Eschenbach at 713-524-4267 ext. 245, or Debbi_Eschenbach@hcms.org.