11 SB66/CSFA/1
Senate
Bill 66
By:
Senators Carter of the 1st, Unterman of the 45th, Goggans of the 7th and Grant
of the 25th
AS
PASSED SENATE
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To
amend Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to physicians, acupuncture, physician assistants, cancer and glaucoma treatment,
respiratory care, clinical perfusionists, and orthotics and prosthetics
practice, so as to revise continuing education requirements relative to clinical
perfusionists; to revise the definition of "perfusion"; to revise requirements
relating to renewal of licenses for clinical perfusionists; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Chapter
34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
physicians, acupuncture, physician assistants, cancer and glaucoma treatment,
respiratory care, clinical perfusionists, and orthotics and prosthetics
practice, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 43-34-11,
relating to continuing education requirements, as follows:
"(a)(1)
The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of a license,
certificate, or permit under this chapter to complete board approved continuing
education of not less than 40 hours biennially. The board shall be authorized
to approve courses offered by institutions of higher learning, specialty
societies, or professional organizations, including, but not limited to, the
American Medical Association, the National Medical Association, and the American
Osteopathic Association, the number of hours required, and the category in which
these hours should be earned. This paragraph shall not apply to respiratory
care
professionals,
or
persons seeking renewal of certification as respiratory care
professionals,
clinical perfusionists, or persons seeking renewal of licensure as a clinical
perfusionist.
(2)
The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of
certification as respiratory care professionals under Article 6 of this chapter
to complete board approved continuing education. The board shall be authorized
to establish the number of hours of continuing education required biennially for
renewal of certification as a respiratory care professional and the categories
in which these hours should be earned. The board shall be authorized to approve
courses offered by institutions of higher learning, specialty societies, or
professional organizations. Any action taken by the board pursuant to this
paragraph shall be taken in conformity with the provisions of Code Section
43-34-143.
(3)
The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of licensure as
clinical perfusionists under Article 7 of this chapter to complete board
approved continuing education. The board shall be authorized to establish the
number of hours of continuing education required biennially for renewal of
licensure as a clinical perfusionist and the categories in which these hours
should be earned. The board shall be authorized to approve courses offered by
institutions of higher learning, specialty societies, or professional
organizations. Any action taken by the board pursuant to this paragraph shall
be taken in conformity with the provisions of Code Section
43-34-172."
SECTION
2.
Said
chapter is further amended by revising paragraph (6) of Code Section 43-34-171,
relating to definitions relative to the "Clinical Perfusionist Licensure Act,"
as follows:
"(6)
'Perfusion' means the functions necessary for the support, treatment,
measurement, or supplementation of the cardiovascular, circulatory, or
respiratory system or other organ, or a combination of such activities, and to
ensure the safe management of physiologic functions by monitoring and analyzing
the parameters of the systems under the order and supervision of a physician,
including, but not limited to:
(A)
The use of extracorporeal circulation; long-term cardiopulmonary support
techniques, including extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal and extracorporeal
membrane oxygenation; and associated therapeutic and diagnostic
technologies;
(B)
Counterpulsation, ventricular assistance, autotransfusion, blood conservation
techniques, myocardial and organ preservation, extracorporeal life support, and
isolated limb perfusion;
(C)
The use of techniques involving blood management, advanced life support, and
other related functions;
(D)
In the performance of the acts described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of
this paragraph:
(i)
The administration of:
(I)
Pharmacological and therapeutic agents; or
(II)
Blood products or anesthetic agents through the extracorporeal circuit or
through an intravenous line as ordered by a physician; or
(ii)
The performance and use of:
(I)
Coagulation monitoring and analysis;
(II)
Physiologic monitoring and analysis;
(III)
Blood gas and chemistry monitoring and analysis;
(IV)
Hematological monitoring and analysis;
(V)
Hypothermia and hyperthermia;
(VI)
Hemoconcentration and hemodilution; and
(VII)
Hemodialysis; and
(E)
The observation of signs and symptoms related to perfusion services, the
determination of whether the signs and symptoms exhibit abnormal
characteristics, and the implementation of appropriate reporting, clinical
perfusion protocols, or changes in, or the initiation of, emergency
procedures.
(A)
Extracorporeal support, including:
(i)
Cardiopulmonary bypass for adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients;
(ii)
Cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital and acquired cardiovascular
disorders;
(iii)
Extracorporeal circulatory support for renal, neurological, hepatic, and
vascular surgery;
(iv)
Extracorporeal resuscitation; and
(v)
Extracorporeal circulation for long-term support of failing respiratory or
cardiac function, or both;
(B)
Associated extracorporeal support functions, including:
(i)
Myocardial protection;
(ii)
Hemofiltration and hemodialysis;
(iii)
Anticoagulation and hemostasis monitoring, analysis, and
intervention;
(iv)
Thermal regulation, including hypothermia and hyperthermia;
(v)
Blood gas and blood chemistry monitoring, analysis, and
intervention;
(vi)
Physiological monitoring, analysis, and intervention; and
(vii)
Administration of blood components, pharmaceuticals, chemotherapeutic, and
anesthetic agents as directed by a licensed physician;
(C)
Heart failure therapy and support, including:
(i)
Ventricular assist device management;
(ii)
Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation;
(iii)
Temporary pacemaker management;
(iv)
External counterpulsation;
(v)
Transportation of patient on extracorporeal support; and
(vi)
Periodic flow augmentation therapy;
(D)
Blood management, including:
(i)
Autotransfusion;
(ii)
Platelet concentrate; and
(iii)
Nondifferentiated progenitor cell harvest; and
(E)
Other clinical functions, including:
(i)
Isolated limb and organ perfusion;
(ii)
Isolated limb and organ delivery of chemotherapeutics, progenitor cells, gene
therapy vectors, and related matters;
(iii)
Organ preservation;
(iv)
Thermogenic lavage;
(v)
Electrophysiological analysis; and
(vi)
Intravascular membrane oxygenation.
Nothing
in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent any licensed health care
professional from performing any functions for which such health care
professional is legally authorized to
perform."
SECTION
3.
Said
chapter is further amended in Code Section 43-34-174, relating to licenses, as
follows:
"43-34-174.
(a)
A license is not the property of the holder but is the property of the board. A
license to practice perfusion
is
shall
be valid for two years. The board may
provide that licenses expire on various dates. A person may renew an unexpired
license by submitting proof of
current
certification by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP) or its
successor and compliance with the
continuing professional education requirements prescribed by the board and
paying the required renewal fee to the board before the expiration date of the
license.
(b)
The license holder
must
shall:
(1)
Display the license in an appropriate and public manner; or
(2)
Maintain on file at all times during which the license holder provides services
in a health care facility a true and correct copy of the license certificate in
the appropriate records of the facility and keep the board informed of any
change of address.
(c)
A license issued by the board is the property of the board and shall be
surrendered on demand.
(d)
Each person licensed under this article shall be responsible for renewing his or
her license before the expiration date.
(e)
If a person's license has been expired for not more than three months, the
person may renew the license by submitting proof, satisfactory to the board, of
compliance with the continuing professional education requirements prescribed by
the board and any penalty fee prescribed by the board.
(f)
If a person's license has been expired for more than three months, the person
may not renew the license. The person may obtain a new license by
submitting
to reexamination and complying with the
current requirements and procedures for obtaining a license.
(g)
The board may reinstate without reexamination an expired license of a person who
was licensed in this state, moved to another state or states, is currently
licensed or certified, and has been in practice in another state or states for
two years immediately preceding the person's application to reinstate a license.
The person shall pay the required fee as established by the
board."
SECTION
4.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.