Duties for a Tennessee Commissioner of Health

The Tennessee commissioner of health is a cabinet-level administrative position. The governor of Tennessee appoints someone to serve in this capacity for a four-year term. The commissioner serves at the pleasure of the governor and is not protected by civil service rules. State health commissioners address public health problems, such as excessive alcohol consumption, obesity and smoking, through prevention and education.

Health and Well-Being

• The commissioner oversees the state's community health services program, which is empowered to provide methods for reducing disease and disability. The program utilizes a combination of preventive programs, which promote early detection and wellness initiatives that show citizens of Tennessee how to live a healthier lifestyle. The commissioner also travels the state promoting research related to curing communicable diseases.

Licensing

• The commissioner provides administrative support to the various boards that oversee the licensure and regulation of health care professionals. The commissioner's duty is to ensure that those who practice health care in Tennessee are qualified and meet professional standards. The boards that the commissioner oversees must interpret the laws, rules and regulations that govern appropriate health care in the state.

Record Keeping

• Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-3-101, requires the commissioner to oversee the collection of vital records for the state. Therefore, the commissioner records and maintains certificates of birth, death, marriage and divorce and responds to requests received from the public for certified copies of the records. The statute also requires the commissioner to make such records available for purposes such as insurance enrollment, fraud investigations, death verification and research.

Oral Hygiene

• Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-1-303, requires the commissioner to report to the governor and the Tennessee Dental Association regarding the means and methods by which the commissioner created and distributed literature to citizens of the state on the proper methods of oral hygiene.