Bill Text: FL S0744 | 2020 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Podiatric Medicine
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-14 - Died in Appropriations [S0744 Detail]
Download: Florida-2020-S0744-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2020 CS for SB 744 By the Committee on Health Policy; and Senators Hooper and Gruters 588-03100-20 2020744c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to podiatric medicine; amending ss. 3 458.347 and 459.022, F.S.; providing that a 4 supervising physician may authorize a licensed 5 physician assistant to perform services under the 6 direction of a licensed podiatric physician under 7 certain circumstances; specifying that the supervising 8 physician is liable for the performance and the acts 9 and omissions of such physician assistant; amending s. 10 458.3485, F.S.; defining the term “physician” to 11 include podiatric physicians; amending s. 461.007, 12 F.S.; authorizing the Board of Podiatric Medicine to 13 require a specified number of continuing education 14 hours related to the safe and effective prescribing of 15 controlled substances as a condition for licensure 16 renewal; creating s. 461.0145, F.S.; authorizing a 17 licensed physician assistant to perform services under 18 the direction of a licensed podiatric physician under 19 certain circumstances; creating s. 461.0155, F.S.; 20 providing for governance of podiatric physicians who 21 are supervising medical assistants; amending s. 22 624.27, F.S.; revising the definition of the term 23 “health care provider” to include podiatric 24 physicians; providing an effective date. 25 26 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 27 28 Section 1. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (4) of 29 section 458.347, Florida Statutes, to read: 30 458.347 Physician assistants.— 31 (4) PERFORMANCE OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.— 32 (i) A supervising physician may authorize a licensed 33 physician assistant to perform services under the direction of a 34 podiatric physician licensed under chapter 461 who is a partner, 35 a shareholder, or an employee of the same group practice, as 36 defined in s. 456.053(3), as the supervising physician and the 37 physician assistant. The supervising physician is liable for the 38 performance and the acts and omissions of such physician 39 assistant. 40 Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 458.3485, Florida 41 Statutes, is amended to read: 42 458.3485 Medical assistant.— 43 (1) DEFINITIONSDEFINITION.—As used in this section:,44 (a) “Medical assistant” means a professional multiskilled 45 person dedicated to assisting in all aspects of medical practice 46 under the direct supervision and responsibility of a physician. 47 This practitioner assists with patient care management, executes 48 administrative and clinical procedures, and often performs 49 managerial and supervisory functions. Competence in the field 50 also requires that a medical assistant adhere to ethical and 51 legal standards of professional practice, recognize and respond 52 to emergencies, and demonstrate professional characteristics. 53 (b) “Physician” means a person who is licensed as a 54 physician under this chapter or as a podiatric physician under 55 chapter 461. 56 Section 3. Paragraph (h) is added to subsection (4) of 57 section 459.022, Florida Statutes, to read: 58 459.022 Physician assistants.— 59 (4) PERFORMANCE OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.— 60 (h) A supervising physician may authorize a licensed 61 physician assistant to perform services under the direction of a 62 podiatric physician licensed under chapter 461 who is a partner, 63 a shareholder, or an employee of the same group practice, as 64 defined in s. 456.053(3), as the supervising physician and the 65 physician assistant. The supervising physician is liable for the 66 performance and the acts and omissions of such physician 67 assistant. 68 Section 4. Subsection (3) of section 461.007, Florida 69 Statutes, is amended to read: 70 461.007 Renewal of license.— 71 (3) The board may by rule prescribe continuing education, 72 not to exceed 40 hours biennially, as a condition for renewal of 73 a license, including at least 2 hours of continuing education 74 related to the safe and effective prescribing of controlled 75 substances. The criteria for such programs or courses shall be 76 approved by the board. 77 Section 5. Section 461.0145, Florida Statutes, is created 78 to read: 79 461.0145 Physician assistants.—A licensed physician 80 assistant may perform services under the direction of a licensed 81 podiatric physician in accordance with ss. 458.347(4) and 82 459.022(4). 83 Section 6. Section 461.0155, Florida Statutes, is created 84 to read: 85 461.0155 Medical assistants.—A podiatric physician who is 86 supervising a medical assistant is governed by s. 458.3485. 87 Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 88 624.27, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 89 624.27 Direct health care agreements; exemption from code.— 90 (1) As used in this section, the term: 91 (b) “Health care provider” means a health care provider 92 licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 93 461, chapter 464, or chapter 466, or a health care group 94 practice, who provides health care services to patients. 95 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.