The Florida Senate

455.687  Certain health care practitioners; immediate suspension of license.--

(1)  The department shall issue an emergency order suspending the license of any person licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 461, chapter 462, chapter 463, chapter 464, chapter 465, chapter 466, or chapter 484 who pleads guilty to, is convicted or found guilty of, or who enters a plea of nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under chapter 409 or chapter 893 or under 21 U.S.C. ss. 801-970 or under 42 U.S.C. ss. 1395-1396.

(2)  If the board has previously found any physician or osteopathic physician in violation of the provisions of s. 458.331(1)(t) or s. 459.015(1)(x), in regard to her or his treatment of three or more patients, and the probable cause panel of the board finds probable cause of an additional violation of that section, then the Secretary of Health shall review the matter to determine if an emergency suspension or restriction order is warranted. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to limit the authority of the secretary of the department to issue an emergency order.

(3)  The department may issue an emergency order suspending or restricting the license of any health care practitioner as defined in s. 455.501(4) who tests positive for any drug on any government or private-sector preemployment or employer-ordered confirmed drug test, as defined in s. 112.0455, when the practitioner does not have a lawful prescription and legitimate medical reason for using such drug. The practitioner shall be given 48 hours from the time of notification to the practitioner of the confirmed test result to produce a lawful prescription for the drug before an emergency order is issued.

History.--s. 88, ch. 97-261; s. 25, ch. 99-7; s. 87, ch. 99-397.