Senate Bill 1152

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152

    By Senator Kirkpatrick





    5-602A-99                                               See HB

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to optometry; amending s.

  3         463.002, F.S.; revising definitions; amending

  4         s. 463.005, F.S.; revising requirements

  5         relating to rules of the Board of Optometry;

  6         amending s. 463.0055, F.S.; authorizing

  7         administration and prescription of

  8         pharmaceutical agents within the scope and

  9         standards of optometric practice as established

10         by the board by rule and providing requirements

11         with respect thereto; amending ss. 463.0057,

12         463.006, and 463.009, F.S., relating to

13         optometric faculty certificates, licensure and

14         certification by examination, and supportive

15         personnel, to conform; amending s. 463.0135,

16         F.S.; clarifying scope of optometric practice;

17         amending s. 463.014, F.S.; eliminating the

18         prohibition against the prescribing, ordering,

19         dispensing, administering, supplying, selling,

20         or giving of systemic drugs, to conform;

21         eliminating the prohibition against the use of

22         laser technology and authorizing such use

23         within the scope and standards of optometric

24         practice as established by the board by rule;

25         providing an effective date.

26

27  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

28

29         Section 1.  Subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section

30  463.002, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are amended to

31  read:

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1         463.002  Definitions.--As used in this chapter, the

  2  term:

  3         (3)(a)  "Licensed practitioner" means a person who is a

  4  primary health care provider licensed to engage in the

  5  practice of optometry under the authority of this chapter.

  6         (b)  A licensed practitioner who is not a certified

  7  optometrist shall be required to display at her or his place

  8  of practice a sign which states, "I am a Licensed

  9  Practitioner, not a Certified Optometrist, and I am not able

10  to prescribe topical ocular pharmaceutical agents."

11         (c)  All practitioners initially licensed after July 1,

12  1993, must be certified optometrists.

13         (4)  "Certified optometrist" means a licensed

14  practitioner authorized by the board to administer and

15  prescribe topical ocular pharmaceutical agents.

16         (5)  "Optometry" means the diagnosis, treatment, and

17  management of conditions of the human eye and its appendages;

18  the employment of any objective or subjective means or

19  methods, including the administration of topical ocular

20  pharmaceutical agents, for the purpose of determining the

21  refractive powers of the human eyes, or any visual, muscular,

22  neurological, or anatomic anomalies of the human eyes and

23  their appendages; and the prescribing and employment of

24  lenses, prisms, frames, mountings, contact lenses, orthoptic

25  exercises, light frequencies, and any other means or methods,

26  including topical ocular pharmaceutical agents, for the

27  correction, remedy, treatment, management, or relief of any

28  insufficiencies or abnormal conditions of the human eyes and

29  their appendages.

30

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1         Section 2.  Paragraphs (a) and (g) of subsection (1) of

  2  section 463.005, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are

  3  amended to read:

  4         463.005  Authority of the board.--

  5         (1)  The Board of Optometry has authority to adopt

  6  rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the

  7  provisions of this chapter conferring duties upon it. Such

  8  rules shall include, but not be limited to, rules relating to:

  9         (a)  Scope and standards of practice, including, but

10  not limited to, those provided for in s. 463.0135.

11         (g)  Administration and prescription of topical ocular

12  pharmaceutical agents.

13         Section 3.  Section 463.0055, Florida Statutes, is

14  amended to read:

15         463.0055  Administration and prescription of topical

16  ocular pharmaceutical agents; committee.--

17         (1)  Certified optometrists may administer and

18  prescribe topical ocular pharmaceutical agents as provided in

19  this section for the diagnosis and treatment of ocular

20  conditions of the human eye and its appendages without the use

21  of surgery or other invasive techniques. However, a licensed

22  practitioner who is not certified may use topically applied

23  anesthetics, mydriatics, and cycloplegics solely for

24  diagnostic purposes the purpose of glaucoma examinations, but

25  is otherwise prohibited from administering or prescribing

26  topical ocular pharmaceutical agents.

27         (2)(a)  There is hereby created a committee composed of

28  two optometrists licensed pursuant to this chapter, appointed

29  by the Board of Optometry, two board-certified

30  ophthalmologists licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter

31  459, appointed by the Board of Medicine, and one additional

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1  person with a doctorate degree in pharmacology who is not

  2  licensed pursuant to chapter 458, chapter 459, or this

  3  chapter, appointed by the secretary. The committee shall

  4  review requests for additions to, deletions from, or

  5  modifications of a formulary of topical ocular pharmaceutical

  6  agents for administration and prescription by certified

  7  optometrists and shall provide to the board advisory opinions

  8  and recommendations on such requests. The formulary shall

  9  consist of those topical ocular pharmaceutical agents which

10  the certified optometrist is qualified to use in the practice

11  of optometry. The board shall establish, add to, delete from,

12  or modify the formulary by rule. Notwithstanding any provision

13  of chapter 120 to the contrary, the formulary rule shall

14  become effective 60 days from the date it is filed with the

15  Secretary of State.

16         (b)  The formulary may be added to, deleted from, or

17  modified according to the procedure described in paragraph

18  (a). Any person who requests an addition, deletion, or

19  modification of an authorized topical ocular pharmaceutical

20  agent shall have the burden of proof to show cause why such

21  addition, deletion, or modification should be made.

22         (c)  The secretary of the department shall have

23  standing to challenge any rule or proposed rule of the board

24  pursuant to s. 120.56. In addition to challenges for any

25  invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority, the

26  administrative law judge, upon such a challenge by the

27  secretary, may declare all or part of a rule or proposed rule

28  invalid if it:

29         1.  Does not protect the public from any significant

30  and discernible harm or damages;

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1         2.  Unreasonably restricts competition or the

  2  availability of professional services in the state or in a

  3  significant part of the state; or

  4         3.  Unnecessarily increases the cost of professional

  5  services without a corresponding or equivalent public benefit.

  6

  7  However, there shall not be created a presumption of the

  8  existence of any of the conditions cited in this subsection in

  9  the event that the rule or proposed rule is challenged.

10         (d)  Upon adoption of the formulary required by this

11  section, and upon each addition, deletion, or modification to

12  the formulary, the board shall mail a copy of the amended

13  formulary to each certified optometrist and to each pharmacy

14  licensed by the state.

15         (3)  A certified optometrist shall be issued a

16  prescriber number by the board. Any prescription written by a

17  certified optometrist for a topical ocular pharmaceutical

18  agent pursuant to this section shall have the prescriber

19  number printed thereon.

20         Section 4.  Subsection (3) of section 463.0057, Florida

21  Statutes, is amended to read:

22         463.0057  Optometric faculty certificate.--

23         (3)  The holder of a faculty certificate may engage in

24  the practice of optometry as permitted by this section, but

25  may not administer or prescribe topical ocular pharmaceutical

26  agents unless the certificateholder has satisfied the

27  requirements of s. 463.006(1)(b)4. and 5.

28         Section 5.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section 463.006,

29  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

30         463.006  Licensure and certification by examination.--

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1         (2)  The examination shall consist of the appropriate

  2  subjects, including applicable state laws and rules and

  3  general and ocular pharmacology with emphasis on the topical

  4  application and side effects of ocular pharmaceutical agents.

  5  The board may by rule substitute a national examination as

  6  part or all of the examination and may by rule offer a

  7  practical examination in addition to the written examination.

  8         (3)  Each applicant who successfully passes the

  9  examination and otherwise meets the requirements of this

10  chapter is entitled to be licensed as a practitioner and to be

11  certified to administer and prescribe topical ocular

12  pharmaceutical agents in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular

13  conditions.

14         Section 6.  Section 463.009, Florida Statutes, is

15  amended to read:

16         463.009  Supportive personnel.--No person other than a

17  licensed practitioner may engage in the practice of optometry

18  as defined in s. 463.002(5). Except as provided in this

19  section, under no circumstances shall nonlicensed supportive

20  personnel be delegated diagnosis or treatment duties; however,

21  such personnel may perform data gathering, preliminary

22  testing, prescribed visual therapy, and related duties under

23  the direct supervision of the licensed practitioner.

24  Nonlicensed personnel, who need not be employees of the

25  licensed practitioner, may perform ministerial duties, tasks,

26  and functions assigned to them by and performed under the

27  general supervision of a licensed practitioner, including

28  obtaining information from consumers for the purpose of making

29  appointments for the licensed practitioner. The licensed

30  practitioner shall be responsible for all delegated acts

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1  performed by persons under her or his direct and general

  2  supervision.

  3         Section 7.  Section 463.0135, Florida Statutes, is

  4  amended to read:

  5         463.0135  Scope and standards of practice.--

  6         (1)  A licensed practitioner shall provide that degree

  7  of care which conforms to that level of care provided by

  8  medical practitioners in the same or similar communities.  A

  9  licensed practitioner shall advise or assist her or his

10  patient in obtaining further care when the service of another

11  health care practitioner is required.

12         (2)  A licensed practitioner diagnosing angle closure,

13  infantile, or congenital forms of glaucoma shall refer the

14  patient to a physician skilled in diseases of the eye and

15  licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459.

16         (3)  When an infectious corneal disease condition has

17  not responded to standard methods of treatment within the

18  scope of optometric practice, the certified optometrist shall

19  consult with a physician skilled in diseases of the eye and

20  licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459.

21         (4)  A licensed practitioner shall promptly advise a

22  patient to seek evaluation by a physician skilled in diseases

23  of the eye and licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459 for

24  diagnosis and possible treatment whenever the licensed

25  practitioner is informed by the patient of the sudden onset of

26  spots or "floaters" with loss of all or part of the visual

27  field.

28         (5)  The licensed practitioner shall routinely advise a

29  patient to immediately contact the licensed practitioner if

30  the patient experiences an adverse drug reaction.

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1         (6)  The licensed practitioner shall, when appropriate,

  2  refer to medical specialists or facilities patients who notify

  3  a licensed practitioner of an adverse drug reaction.

  4         (7)  The licensed practitioner shall place in a

  5  patient's permanent record information describing any adverse

  6  drug reaction experienced by the patient, the date of such

  7  reaction, and whether any referral was made.

  8         (8)  The licensed practitioner shall maintain the names

  9  of at least three physicians, physician clinics, or hospitals

10  to whom the licensed practitioner will refer patients who

11  experience an adverse drug reaction.  At least one of these

12  physicians shall be a physician skilled in the diagnosis and

13  treatment of diseases of the eye and licensed under chapter

14  458 or chapter 459.

15         (9)  A licensed practitioner who believes a patient may

16  have glaucoma shall promptly advise the patient of the serious

17  nature of glaucoma. The licensed practitioner shall place in

18  the patient's permanent record that the practitioner provided

19  such advice to the patient.

20         (10)  A licensed practitioner who is not a certified

21  optometrist shall be required to display at her or his place

22  of practice a sign which states, "I am a Licensed

23  Practitioner, not a Certified Optometrist, and I am not able

24  to prescribe pharmaceutical agents."

25         (11)  All practitioners initially licensed after July

26  1, 1993, must be certified optometrists.

27         (12)  Any certified optometrist who has complied with

28  the provisions for licensure under this chapter is authorized

29  to utilize any means or methods to diagnose, treat, and manage

30  diseases and conditions of the human eye and its appendages

31  for which she or he is qualified by training and education to

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1  utilize, within the scope and standards of optometric practice

  2  as established by the board by rule.

  3         Section 8.  Section 463.014, Florida Statutes, is

  4  amended to read:

  5         463.014  Certain acts prohibited.--

  6         (1)(a)  No corporation, lay body, organization, or

  7  individual other than a licensed practitioner shall engage in

  8  the practice of optometry through the means of engaging the

  9  services, upon a salary, commission, or other means or

10  inducement, of any person licensed to practice optometry in

11  this state. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to

12  prohibit the association of a licensed practitioner with a

13  multidisciplinary group of licensed health care professionals,

14  the primary objective of which is the diagnosis and treatment

15  of the human body.

16         (b)  No licensed practitioner shall engage in the

17  practice of optometry with any corporation, organization,

18  group, or lay individual. This provision shall not prohibit

19  licensed practitioners from employing, or from forming

20  partnerships or professional associations with, licensed

21  practitioners licensed in this state or with other licensed

22  health care professionals, the primary objective of whom is

23  the diagnosis and treatment of the human body.

24         (c)  No rule of the board shall forbid the practice of

25  optometry in or on the premises of a commercial or mercantile

26  establishment.

27         (d)  No licensed practitioner may practice under

28  practice identification names, trade names, or service names,

29  unless any dissemination of information by the practitioner to

30  consumers contains the name under which the practitioner is

31  licensed or that of the professional association in which the

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1  practitioner participates. Any advertisement or other

  2  dissemination of information to consumers may contain factual

  3  information as to the geographic location of licensed

  4  practitioners or of the availability of optometric services.

  5         (e)  No licensed practitioner shall adopt and publish

  6  or cause to be published any practice identification name,

  7  trade name, or service name which is, contains, or is intended

  8  to serve as an affirmation of the quality or competitive value

  9  of the optometric services provided at the identified

10  practice.

11         (2)  A corporation or labor organization may employ

12  licensed practitioners to provide optometric services to bona

13  fide employees of such corporation and members of their

14  immediate families or to bona fide members of such labor

15  organization and members of their immediate families, provided

16  the provision of such services is incidental to the legitimate

17  business of such corporation or labor organization. Nothing in

18  this section shall be deemed to authorize the employment of

19  licensed practitioners by corporations or organizations formed

20  primarily for such purposes.

21         (3)  Prescribing, ordering, dispensing, administering,

22  supplying, selling, or giving any systemic drugs by a licensed

23  practitioner is prohibited.

24         (3)(4)  Surgery of any kind, including the use of

25  lasers, is expressly prohibited; however, this shall not be

26  construed to prohibit the use of laser technology within the

27  scope and standards of optometric practice as established by

28  the board by rule. Certified optometrists may remove

29  superficial foreign bodies. For the purposes of this

30  subsection, the term "superficial foreign bodies" means any

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1152
    5-602A-99                                               See HB




  1  foreign matter that is embedded in the conjunctiva or cornea

  2  but which has not penetrated the globe.

  3         (4)(5)  No rule of the board shall prohibit a licensed

  4  practitioner from authorizing a board-certified optician to

  5  fill, fit, adapt, or dispense a contact lens prescription as

  6  authorized under chapter 484.

  7         Section 9.  This act shall take effect October 1, 1999.

  8

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10                       LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

11
      Revises various provisions of ch. 463, F.S., relating to
12    optometry practice. Authorizes administration and
      prescription of pharmaceutical agents and provides
13    requirements with respect thereto. Authorizes certified
      optometrists to use any means or methods to diagnose,
14    treat, and manage diseases and conditions of the human
      eye and its appendages for which they are qualified by
15    training and education to use, within the scope and
      standards of optometric practice as established by the
16    Board of Optometry by rule. Revises definitions,
      requirements relating to rules of the board, and
17    provisions relating to optometric faculty certificates,
      licensure and certification by examination, and
18    supportive personnel, to conform. Eliminates the
      prohibition against the prescribing, ordering,
19    dispensing, administering, supplying, selling, or giving
      of systemic drugs, to conform. Eliminates the prohibition
20    against the use of laser technology and authorizes such
      use within the scope and standards of optometric practice
21    as established by the board by rule. (See bill for
      details.)
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