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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to emergency medicine; amending ss.

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458.3312 and 459.0152, F.S.; prohibiting physicians and

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osteopathic physicians from holding themselves out as

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board-certified emergency physicians unless they meet

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specified requirements; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1.  Section 458.3312, Florida Statutes, is amended

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to read:

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     458.3312  Specialties.--A physician licensed under this

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chapter may not hold himself or herself out as a board-certified

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specialist unless the physician has received formal recognition

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as a specialist from a specialty board of the American Board of

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Medical Specialties or other recognizing agency approved by the

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board. A physician licensed under this chapter who completes his

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or her board certification after January 1, 2009, may not hold

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himself or herself out as a board-certified emergency physician

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unless the physician has received formal recognition as a

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specialist from the American Board of Medical Specialties or

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other recognizing agency approved by the board and has completed

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a residency or fellowship training program in emergency medicine

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which is approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate

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Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association.

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However, a physician may indicate the services offered and may

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state that his or her practice is limited to one or more types of

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services if when this accurately reflects the scope of practice

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of the physician.

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     Section 2.  Section 459.0152, Florida Statutes, is amended

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to read:

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     459.0152  Specialties.--An osteopathic physician licensed

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under this chapter may not hold himself or herself out as a

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board-certified specialist unless the osteopathic physician has

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successfully completed the requirements for certification by the

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American Osteopathic Association or the Accreditation Council on

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Graduate Medical Education and is certified as a specialist by a

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certifying agency approved by the board. An osteopathic physician

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licensed under this chapter who completes his or her board

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certification after January 1, 2009, may not hold himself or

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herself out as a board-certified emergency osteopathic physician

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unless the osteopathic physician has received formal recognition

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as a specialist from a recognized agency approved by the board

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and has completed a residency training program in emergency

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medicine which is approved by the American Osteopathic

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Association or the American Council for Graduate Medical

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Education. However, an osteopathic physician may indicate the

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services offered and may state that his or her practice is

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limited to one or more types of services if when this accurately

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reflects the scope of practice of the osteopathic physician.

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     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.