Southern District Health Board chief medical officer for Otago Richard Bunton said part of doctors' employment requirements were having a current practising certificate.
To qualify for a practising certificate, doctors had to reapply every year to the New Zealand Medical Council.
Part of that requirement was showing they had maintained or gained competence in their specified area of practice.
The board could readily check the status of the practising certificate and issue reminders to doctors to reapply.
Mr Bunton said he was not aware of any instances of concerns about status in his time as chief medical officer.
However, he was aware issues had been raised about some of the claims made about the qualifications of Colin Bouwer, who had worked as a psychiatrist in Otago and Southland for part of the 1990s.
In late 2001 Bouwer was convicted of the murder of his wife.
Mr Bunton said the system did depend "in some ways" on people's honesty, but checks were also made.
The issue of checking practising certificates was raised during a Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal hearing in Invercargill earlier this week involving charges against former Invercargill urologist Dr Sajan Bhatia.
One of the three charges laid against him is that of practising without holding an annual practising certificate.
After two days of hearing this week, his case was adjourned until later this month to allow for the evidence of an expert witness to be brought before the tribunal.
Asked to comment on Mercy Hospital's procedures, chief executive Richard Whitney said the private hospital did not rely on individual doctors providing information, it also checked details itself online.
Part of the credential process for those who made application for "privileges to the hospital" which allowed them to admit patients, involved validation of their qualifications and practising certificate and a requirement to advise the hospital of any changes.
The hospital was "very particular" about the issue.
Part of the reason for this was that the hospital could be liable if a doctor was practising inappropriately.
Anyone concerned about whether their doctor's practising certificate is up to date can check it through the New Zealand Medical Council website (www.mcnz.org.nz) or by phoning 0800 286 801.
Council communications manager George Symmes said the register was updated once or twice a week.
• Southern District Health Board management has advised Dr Bhatia has not been employed as a health practitioner by the board or the previous Southland District Health Board since 2005. Dr Bhatia is an elected member of the current board, but has been granted leave in recent months.
