Competency examination; investigation; consent by licensee; assistance

(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the Oregon Medical Board may at any time direct and order a mental, physical or medical competency examination or any combination thereof, and make such investigation, including the taking of depositions or otherwise in order to fully inform itself with respect to the performance or conduct of a licensee. (2) If the board has reasonable cause to believe that any licensee is or may be unable to practice medicine or podiatry with reasonable skill and safety to patients, the board shall cause a competency examination of such licensee for purposes of determining the fitness of the licensee to practice medicine or podiatry with reasonable skill and safety to patients. (3) Any licensee by practicing or by filing a registration to practice medicine or podiatry shall be deemed to have given consent to submit to mental or physical examination when so directed by the board and, further, to have waived all objection to the admissibility of information derived from such mental or physical or medical competency examination on the grounds of privileged communication. (4) The board may request any medical organization to assist the board in preparing for or conducting any medical competency examination that the board may consider appropriate.