AUSTIN (KXAN) — A patient protection law, sparked by a series of KXAN investigations, is "very close" to finally taking full effect -- two years after it was passed, according to the Texas Medical Board.

"Your news station, in conjunction with working with us, really helped push that legislation to help protect our patients," said TMB President Dr. Sherif Zaafran. "So, I really thank you for doing that."

House Bill 1998, which passed with bipartisan support in 2023, requires stricter scrutiny of doctors and more transparency for patients when it comes to discipline records. The TMB can now keep real-time tabs on doctors licensed to practice in multiple states, said Zaafran. The board receives discipline, criminal and malpractice alerts from the National Practitioner Data Bank -- a confid

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