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S.B. 311

             1     

ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT

             2     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Daniel R. Liljenquist

             5     
House Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill creates a new licensing chapter in the Division of Occupational and
             10      Professional Licensing for Anesthesiologist Assistants.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines terms;
             14          .    puts anesthesiologist assistants under supervision of the Physician Assistant
             15      Licensing Board;
             16          .    requires licensure;
             17          .    establishes qualifications for licensure;
             18          .    establishes terms for the license; and
             19          .    defines unlawful and unprofessional conduct.
             20      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             21          None
             22      Other Special Clauses:
             23          None
             24      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             25      AMENDS:
             26          58-70a-201, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 37
             27      ENACTS:


             28          58-84-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             29          58-84-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             30          58-84-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             31          58-84-301, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             32          58-84-302, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             33          58-84-303, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             34          58-84-401, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             35          58-84-501, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             36          58-84-502, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             37     
             38      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             39          Section 1. Section 58-70a-201 is amended to read:
             40           58-70a-201. Board.
             41          (1) There is created the Physician Assistant Licensing Board, which consists of [seven]
             42      eight members:
             43          (a) three licensed physicians[,]:
             44          (i) at least two of whom are individuals who are supervising or who have supervised a
             45      physician assistant; and
             46          (ii) one of whom has completed a residency program for anesthesiologist and is
             47      supervising or has supervised an anesthesiologist assistant licensed under Chapter 84,
             48      Anesthesiologist Assistant Licensing Act;
             49          (b) three physician assistants, one of whom is involved in the administration of an
             50      approved physician assistant education program within the state; [and]
             51          (c) one anesthesiologist assistant licensed under Chapter 84, Anesthesiologist Assistant
             52      Licensing Act; and
             53          [(c)] (d) one person from the general public.
             54          (2) The board shall be appointed and serve in accordance with Section 58-1-201 .
             55          (3) (a) The duties and responsibilities of the board are:
             56          (i) in accordance with Sections 58-1-202 [and], 58-1-203 [. In addition, the], and
             57      58-84-201 ; and
             58          (ii) to function as the board for individuals licensed under Chapter 84, Anesthesiologist


             59      Assistant Licensing Act.
             60          (b) The board shall designate one of its members on a permanent or rotating basis to:
             61          [(a)] (i) assist the division in reviewing complaints concerning the unlawful or
             62      unprofessional conduct of a licensee; and
             63          [(b)] (ii) advise the division in its investigation of these complaints.
             64          (4) A board member who has, under Subsection (3), reviewed a complaint or advised
             65      in its investigation may be disqualified from participating with the board when the board serves
             66      as a presiding officer in an adjudicative proceeding concerning the complaint. The board
             67      member may be disqualified:
             68          (a) on the member's own motion, due to actual or perceived bias or lack of objectivity;
             69      or
             70          (b) upon challenge for cause raised on the record by any party to the adjudicative
             71      proceeding.
             72          Section 2. Section 58-84-101 is enacted to read:
             73     
CHAPTER 84. ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT LICENSING ACT

             74     
Part 1. General Provisions

             75          58-84-101. Title.
             76          This chapter is known as the "Anesthesiologist Assistant Licensing Act."
             77          Section 3. Section 58-84-102 is enacted to read:
             78          58-84-102. Definitions.
             79          In addition to the definitions in Section 58-1-102 , as used in this chapter:
             80          (1) "Anesthesiologist assistant" means an allied health graduate of an accredited
             81      anesthesiologist's assistant program.
             82          (2) "Board" means the Physician Assistant Licensing Board created in Section
             83      58-70a-201 .
             84          (3) (a) "Practice of anesthesiologist assistant":
             85          (i) includes anesthesia services appropriately delegated by an anesthesiologist in
             86      accordance with the standards and ethics of the anesthesiologist's medical practice; and
             87          (ii) may be established by administrative rule adopted by the division in accordance
             88      with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
             89          (b) The practice of anesthesiologist assistant is limited to performing the practice of


             90      anesthesiologist assistant as described in Subsection (3)(a):
             91          (i) under the supervision of a physician as described in Subsection (3)(c);
             92          (ii) in facilities located in urban counties as defined by the division by administrative
             93      rule; and
             94          (iii) when the anesthesiologist assistant informs the patient that the services will be
             95      performed by an anesthesiologist assistant.
             96          (c) Supervision by a physician under Subsection (3)(b) means the physician is:
             97          (i) licensed under Chapter 67, Utah Medical Practice Act, or Chapter 68, Utah
             98      Osteopathic Medical Practice Act;
             99          (ii) has completed a residency program in anesthesiology;
             100          (iii) actively practicing as an anesthesiologist;
             101          (iv) immediately available on site to provide supervision of the anesthesiologist
             102      assistant; and
             103          (v) supervising no more than:
             104          (A) three anesthesiologist assistants at any one time; or
             105          (B) the number of student anesthesiologist assistants designated by the board by
             106      administrative rule, which shall be equal to the supervision requirements for student nurse
             107      anesthetists.
             108          (4) "Unlawful conduct" is as defined in Sections 58-1-501 and 58-83-501 .
             109          (5) "Unprofessional conduct" is as defined in Sections 58-1-501 and 58-83-502 and as
             110      may be further defined by administrative rule adopted by the division in accordance with Title
             111      63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
             112          Section 4. Section 58-84-201 is enacted to read:
             113     
Part 2. Board

             114          58-84-201. Board.
             115          Anesthesiologist assistants will be regulated by the Physician Assistant Licensing Board
             116      created in Section 58-70a-201 .
             117          Section 5. Section 58-84-301 is enacted to read:
             118     
Part 3. Licensing

             119          58-84-301. Licensure required -- Issuance of licenses -- Effect on insurers.
             120          (1) Beginning January 1, 2012, and except as provided in Section 58-1-307 , a license is


             121      required to engage in the practice of anesthesiologist assistant.
             122          (2) The division shall issue to any person who qualifies under this chapter a license to
             123      practice as an anesthesiologist assistant.
             124          (3) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require payment from insurers for
             125      anesthesiologist assistant services.
             126          Section 6. Section 58-84-302 is enacted to read:
             127          58-84-302. Qualifications for licensure -- Temporary license.
             128          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), each applicant for licensure as an
             129      anesthesiologist assistant under this chapter shall:
             130          (a) submit an application in a form prescribed by the division;
             131          (b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 63J-1-504 ;
             132          (c) be of good moral character;
             133          (d) provide satisfactory documentation of having earned certification from the National
             134      Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) or its successor
             135      organization;
             136          (e) within 12 months of completing the training under Subsection (1)(d), pass the
             137      certification exam offered by the NCCAA;
             138          (f) have worked for two years as an anaesthesiologist assistant in another state; and
             139          (g) complete other requirements as specified by the division by administrative rule.
             140          (2) The division may issue a temporary license, in accordance with Section 58-1-303
             141      and any other conditions established by rule, to an applicant who meets all of the requirements
             142      for licensure except the examination requirement of Subsection (1)(e).
             143          Section 7. Section 58-84-303 is enacted to read:
             144          58-84-303. Term of license -- Expiration -- Renewal.
             145          (1) The division shall issue each license under this chapter in accordance with a
             146      two-year renewal cycle established by rule. The division may by rule extend or shorten a
             147      renewal cycle by as much as one year to stagger the renewal cycles it administers.
             148          (2) Each licensee shall, at the time of applying for renewal, demonstrate compliance
             149      with continuing education requirements established by rule by the division in collaboration
             150      with the board.
             151          (3) Each license automatically expires on the expiration date shown on the license


             152      unless the licensee renews it in accordance with Section 58-1-308 .
             153          Section 8. Section 58-84-401 is enacted to read:
             154     
Part 4. License Denial and Discipline

             155          58-84-401. Grounds for denial of license -- Disciplinary proceedings.
             156          Grounds for refusing to issue a license to an applicant, for refusing to renew the license
             157      of a licensee, for revoking, suspending, restricting, or placing on probation the license of a
             158      licensee, for issuing a public or private reprimand to a licensee, and for issuing a cease and
             159      desist order shall be in accordance with Section 58-1-401 .
             160          Section 9. Section 58-84-501 is enacted to read:
             161     
Part 5. Unlawful and Unprofessional Conduct

             162          58-84-501. Unlawful conduct.
             163          "Unlawful conduct" includes, in addition to the definition in Section 58-1-501 :
             164          (1) using the title "anesthesiologist assistant" or any other title or designation tending
             165      to indicate that the person is an anesthesiologist assistant unless that person has a current
             166      license as an anesthesiologist assistant issued under this chapter; or
             167          (2) engaging in the practice of anesthesiologist assistant without the supervision of an
             168      anesthesiologist as required by Subsection 58-83-102 (3)(b).
             169          Section 10. Section 58-84-502 is enacted to read:
             170          58-84-502. Unprofessional conduct.
             171          "Unprofessional conduct" includes, in addition to the definition in Section 58-1-501 and
             172      as may be further defined by rule:
             173          (1) engaging in any act or practice in a professional capacity that the licensee is not
             174      competent to perform through training or experience;
             175          (2) failing to refer a client to other competent professionals when the licensee is unable
             176      or unwilling to adequately support or serve the client;
             177          (3) failing to maintain the confidentiality of any information received from a client,
             178      unless released by the client or otherwise authorized or required by law; and
             179          (4) exploiting a client for personal advantage, profit, or interest.





Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-14-11 10:05 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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