The Florida Senate

483.291  Powers and duties of the agency; rules.--The agency shall adopt rules to implement this part, which rules must include the following:

(1)  LICENSING STANDARDS.--The agency shall license all multiphasic health testing centers meeting the requirements of this part and shall prescribe standards necessary for licensure.

(2)  FEES.--The agency shall establish annual fees, which shall be reasonable in amount, for licensing of centers. The fees must be sufficient in amount to cover the cost of licensing and inspecting centers.

(a)  The annual licensure fee is due at the time of application and is payable to the agency to be deposited in the Health Care Trust Fund administered by the agency. The license fee must be not less than $300 or more than $1,000.

(b)  The fee for late filing of an application for license renewal is $200 and is in addition to the licensure fee due for renewing the license.

(3)  ANNUAL LICENSING.--The agency shall provide for annual licensing of centers. Any center that fails to pay the proper fee or otherwise fails to qualify by the date of expiration of its license is delinquent, and its license is automatically canceled without notice or further proceeding. Upon cancellation of its license under this subsection, a center may have its license reinstated only upon application and qualification as provided for initial applicants and upon payment of all delinquent fees.

(4)  STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE.--The agency shall prescribe standards for the performance of health testing procedures.

(5)  CONSTRUCTION OF CENTERS.--The agency may adopt rules to ensure that centers comply with all local, county, state, and federal standards for the construction, renovation, maintenance, or repair of centers, which standards must ensure the conduct and operation of the centers in a manner that will protect the public health.

(6)  SAFETY AND SANITARY CONDITIONS WITHIN THE CENTER AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.--The agency shall establish standards relating to safety and sanitary conditions within the center and its surroundings, including water supply; sewage; the handling of specimens; identification, segregation, and separation of biohazardous waste as required by s. 381.0098; storage of chemicals; workspace; firesafety; and general measures, which standards must ensure the protection of the public health. The agency shall determine compliance by a multiphasic health testing center with the requirements of s. 381.0098 by verifying that the center has obtained all required permits.

(7)  EQUIPMENT.--The agency shall establish minimum standards for center equipment essential to the proper conduct and operation of the center.

(8)  PERSONNEL.--The agency shall prescribe minimum qualifications for center personnel. A center may employ as a medical assistant a person who has at least one of the following qualifications:

(a)  Prior experience of not less than 6 months as a medical assistant in the office of a licensed medical doctor or osteopathic physician or in a hospital, an ambulatory surgical center, a home health agency, or a health maintenance organization.

(b)  Certification and registration by the American Medical Technologists Association or other similar professional association approved by the agency.

(c)  Prior employment as a medical assistant in a licensed center for at least 6 consecutive months at some time during the preceding 2 years.

History.--s. 1, ch. 77-48; s. 208, ch. 79-400; s. 2, ch. 81-318; ss. 25, 29, 30, ch. 83-276; ss. 5, 19, ch. 93-40; s. 25, ch. 93-178; s. 55, ch. 97-264.