The Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL) within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) recently notified health  professionals that the Public Health Code – General Rules have been revised to require implicit bias training for their profession, effective June 1, 2022.

The new rules require that health care professionals receive annual training to recognize and mitigate implicit bias. These rules aim to reduce disparities and improve equity in the delivery of health care to Michigan residents through practical education of new and renewing licensed health care professionals. 

The Stanford produced Unconscious Bias in Medicine module, recommended by BCBSM, meets the content criteria in the updated training requirements, although additional training hours may be necessary. The final rule and others related to the updated rules can be found at: ARS Public - RFR Transaction (state.mi.us).

​Key Takeaways from the Final Rule Language include:

• Training content must include, but is not limited to, 1 or more of the following topics:
  • Information on implicit bias, equitable access to health care, serving a diverse population, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and cultural sensitivity.
  • Strategies to remedy the negative impact of implicit bias by recognizing and understanding how it impacts perception, judgment, and actions that may result in inequitable decision making, failure to effectively communicate, and result in barriers and disparities in the access to and delivery of health care services.
  • The historical basis and present consequences of implicit biases based on an individual's characteristics.
  • Discussion of current research on implicit bias in the access to and delivery of health care services.
• Training must include strategies to reduce disparities in access to and delivery of health care services and the administration of pre- and post-test implicit bias assessments.
• Implicit bias training may be sponsored by a nationally or state recognized health-related organization, an accredited college or university, a state or federal agency, a continuing education program approved by a state licensing board, or an organization specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.