Florida Senate - 2011                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 398
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 241132                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  03/09/2011           .                                
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       The Committee on Health Regulation (Jones) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 75 - 197
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 460.408, Florida
    6  Statutes, is amended to read:
    7         460.408 Continuing chiropractic education.—
    8         (1) The board shall require licensees to periodically
    9  demonstrate their professional competence as a condition of
   10  renewal of a license by completing up to 40 contact classroom
   11  hours of continuing education.
   12         (a) Continuing education courses sponsored by chiropractic
   13  colleges whose graduates are eligible for examination under any
   14  provision of this chapter may shall be approved upon review by
   15  the board if all other requirements of board rules setting forth
   16  criteria for course approval are met.
   17         (b) The board shall approve those courses that build upon
   18  the basic courses required for the practice of chiropractic
   19  medicine, and the board may also approve courses in adjunctive
   20  modalities. Courses that consist of instruction in the use,
   21  application, prescription, recommendation, or administration of
   22  a specific company’s brand of products or services are not
   23  eligible for approval.
   24         Section 3. Paragraph (y) of subsection (1) of section
   25  460.413, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   26         460.413 Grounds for disciplinary action; action by board or
   27  department.—
   28         (1) The following acts constitute grounds for denial of a
   29  license or disciplinary action, as specified in s. 456.072(2):
   30         (y) Failing to preserve identity of funds and property of a
   31  patient, the value of which is greater than $501. As provided by
   32  rule of the board, money or other property entrusted to a
   33  chiropractic physician for a specific purpose, including
   34  advances for costs and expenses of examination or treatment
   35  which may not exceed the value of $1,500, is to be held in trust
   36  and must be applied only to that purpose. Money and other
   37  property of patients coming into the hands of a chiropractic
   38  physician are not subject to counterclaim or setoff for
   39  chiropractic physician’s fees, and a refusal to account for and
   40  deliver over such money and property upon demand shall be deemed
   41  a conversion. This is not to preclude the retention of money or
   42  other property upon which the chiropractic physician has a valid
   43  lien for services or to preclude the payment of agreed fees from
   44  the proceeds of transactions for examinations or treatments.
   45  Controversies as to the amount of the fees are not grounds for
   46  disciplinary proceedings unless the amount demanded is clearly
   47  excessive or extortionate, or the demand is fraudulent. All
   48  funds of patients paid to a chiropractic physician, other than
   49  advances for costs and expenses, shall be deposited in one or
   50  more identifiable bank accounts maintained in the state in which
   51  the chiropractic physician’s office is situated, and no funds
   52  belonging to the chiropractic physician shall be deposited
   53  therein except as follows:
   54         1. Funds reasonably sufficient to pay bank charges may be
   55  deposited therein.
   56         2. Funds belonging in part to a patient and in part
   57  presently or potentially to the physician must be deposited
   58  therein, but the portion belonging to the physician may be
   59  withdrawn when due unless the right of the physician to receive
   60  it is disputed by the patient, in which event the disputed
   61  portion shall not be withdrawn until the dispute is finally
   62  resolved.
   63  
   64  Every chiropractic physician shall maintain complete records of
   65  all funds, securities, and other properties of a patient coming
   66  into the possession of the physician and render appropriate
   67  accounts to the patient regarding them. In addition, every
   68  chiropractic physician shall promptly pay or deliver to the
   69  patient, as requested by the patient, the funds, securities, or
   70  other properties in the possession of the physician which the
   71  patient is entitled to receive.
   72         Section 4. Subsections (2) and (5) of section 460.4165,
   73  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   74         460.4165 Certified chiropractic physician’s assistants.—
   75         (2) PERFORMANCE BY CERTIFIED CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN’S
   76  ASSISTANT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a
   77  certified chiropractic physician’s assistant may perform
   78  chiropractic services in the specialty area or areas for which
   79  the certified chiropractic physician’s assistant is trained or
   80  experienced when such services are rendered under the
   81  supervision of a licensed chiropractic physician or group of
   82  chiropractic physicians certified by the board. Any certified
   83  chiropractic physician’s assistant certified under this section
   84  to perform services may perform those services only:
   85         (a) In the office of the chiropractic physician to whom the
   86  certified chiropractic physician’s assistant has been assigned,
   87  in which office such physician maintains her or his primary
   88  practice;
   89         (b) Under indirect supervision if the indirect supervision
   90  occurs at the supervising chiropractic physician’s address of
   91  record or place of practice required by s. 456.035, other than
   92  at a clinic licensed under part X of chapter 400, of the
   93  chiropractic physician to whom she or he is assigned as defined
   94  by rule of the board;
   95         (c) In a hospital in which the chiropractic physician to
   96  whom she or he is assigned is a member of the staff; or
   97         (d) On calls outside of the office of the chiropractic
   98  physician to whom she or he is assigned, on the direct order of
   99  the chiropractic physician to whom she or he is assigned.
  100         (5) PROGRAM APPROVAL.—The department shall issue
  101  certificates of approval for programs for the education and
  102  training of certified chiropractic physician’s assistants which
  103  meet board standards. Any basic program curriculum certified by
  104  the board shall cover a period of 24 months. The curriculum must
  105  consist of a curriculum of at least 200 didactic classroom hours
  106  during those 24 months.
  107         (a) In developing criteria for program approval, the board
  108  shall give consideration to, and encourage, the use utilization
  109  of equivalency and proficiency testing and other mechanisms
  110  whereby full credit is given to trainees for past education and
  111  experience in health fields.
  112         (b) The board shall create groups of specialty
  113  classifications of training for certified chiropractic
  114  physician’s assistants. These classifications must shall reflect
  115  the training and experience of the certified chiropractic
  116  physician’s assistant. The certified chiropractic physician’s
  117  assistant may receive training in one or more such
  118  classifications, which shall be shown on the certificate issued.
  119         (c) The board shall adopt and publish standards to ensure
  120  that such programs operate in a manner which does not endanger
  121  the health and welfare of the patients who receive services
  122  within the scope of the program. The board shall review the
  123  quality of the curricula, faculties, and facilities of such
  124  programs; issue certificates of approval; and take whatever
  125  other action is necessary to determine that the purposes of this
  126  section are being met.
  127         Section 5. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 460.4166,
  128  Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsections (4), (5), and (6)
  129  are added to that section, to read:
  130         460.4166 Registered chiropractic assistants.—
  131         (2) DUTIES.—Under the direct supervision and responsibility
  132  of a licensed chiropractic physician or certified chiropractic
  133  physician’s assistant, a registered chiropractic assistant may:
  134         (a) Perform clinical procedures, which include:
  135         1. Preparing patients for the chiropractic physician’s
  136  care.
  137         2. Taking vital signs.
  138         3. Observing and reporting patients’ signs or symptoms.
  139         (b) Administer basic first aid.
  140         (c) Assist with patient examinations or treatments other
  141  than manipulations or adjustments.
  142         (d) Operate therapeutic office equipment.
  143         (e) Collect routine laboratory specimens as directed by the
  144  chiropractic physician or certified chiropractic physician’s
  145  assistant.
  146         (f) Administer nutritional supplements as directed by the
  147  chiropractic physician or certified chiropractic physician’s
  148  assistant.
  149         (g) Perform office procedures required by the chiropractic
  150  physician or certified chiropractic physician’s assistant under
  151  direct supervision of the chiropractic physician or certified
  152  chiropractic physician’s assistant.
  153         (3) REGISTRATION.—
  154         (a) A registered chiropractic assistant shall register with
  155  assistants may be registered by the board for a biennial fee not
  156  to exceed $25. Effective April 1, 2012, a person must register
  157  with the board as a registered chiropractic assistant if the
  158  person performs any duties described in subsection (2) unless
  159  the person is otherwise certified or licensed to perform those
  160  duties.
  161         (b) A person employed as a registered chiropractic
  162  assistant shall submit to the board an initial application for
  163  registration by March 31, 2012, or within 30 days after becoming
  164  employed as a registered chiropractic assistant, whichever is
  165  later, specifying the applicant’s place of employment and the
  166  names of all chiropractic physicians under whose supervision the
  167  applicant performs the duties described in subsection (2). The
  168  application for registration must be signed by a chiropractic
  169  physician who is an owner of the place of employment specified
  170  in the application. Upon the board’s receipt of an application,
  171  the effective date of the registration shall be April 1, 2012,
  172  or shall apply retroactively to the applicant’s date of
  173  employment as a registered chiropractic assistant, whichever is
  174  later, and the registered chiropractic assistant may be
  175  supervised by any licensed chiropractic physician or certified
  176  chiropractic physician’s assistant who is employed by the
  177  registered chiropractic assistant’s employer or listed on the
  178  registration application.
  179         (c) A registered chiropractic assistant, within 30 days
  180  after a change of employment, must notify the board of the new
  181  place of employment and the names of all chiropractic physicians
  182  under whose supervision the registered chiropractic assistant
  183  performs duties described in subsection (2) at the new place of
  184  employment. The notification must be signed by a chiropractic
  185  physician who is an owner of the new place of employment. Upon
  186  the board’s receipt of the notification, the registered
  187  chiropractic assistant may be supervised by any licensed
  188  chiropractic physician or certified chiropractic physician’s
  189  assistant who is employed by the registered chiropractic
  190  assistant’s new employer or listed on the notification.
  191         (d) Within 30 days after a registered chiropractic
  192  assistant is no longer employed at his or her place of
  193  employment as registered with the board, the registered
  194  chiropractic assistant’s employer as registered with the board
  195  shall notify the board that the registered chiropractic
  196  assistant is no longer employed by that employer.
  197         (e) An employee who performs none of the duties described
  198  in subsection (2) is not eligible to register under this
  199  section.
  200         (4) REGISTERED CHIROPRACTIC ASSISTANT REGISTRATION
  201  RENEWAL.—
  202         (a) A registered chiropractic assistant’s registration must
  203  be renewed biennially. Each renewal must include:
  204         1. A renewal fee as set by the board not to exceed $25.
  205         2. The registered chiropractic assistant’s current place of
  206  employment and the names of all chiropractic physicians under
  207  whose supervision the applicant performs duties described in
  208  subsection (2). The application for registration renewal must be
  209  signed by a chiropractic physician who is an owner of the place
  210  of employment specified in the application.
  211         (b) Upon registration renewal, the registered chiropractic
  212  assistant may be supervised by any licensed chiropractic
  213  physician or certified chiropractic physician’s assistant who is
  214  employed by the registered chiropractic assistant’s employer or
  215  listed on the registration renewal.
  216         (5) APPLICATION AND NOTIFICATION FORMS.—The board shall
  217  prescribe, by rule, forms for the applications and notifications
  218  required under subsections (3) and (4).
  219         (6)If a person employed as a registered chiropractic
  220  assistant is employed by an entity not owned in whole or in part
  221  by a licensed chiropractic physician under s. 460.4167, the
  222  documents requiring signatures under this section must be signed
  223  by a person with an ownership interest in the entity that
  224  employs the registered chiropractic assistant and a licensed
  225  chiropractic physician who supervises the registered
  226  chiropractic assistant.
  227  
  228  
  229  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  230         And the title is amended as follows:
  231         Delete lines 5 - 34
  232  and insert:
  233         amending s. 460.408, F.S.; authorizing the Board of
  234         Chiropractic Medicine to approve continuing education
  235         courses sponsored by chiropractic colleges under
  236         certain circumstances; prohibiting the board from
  237         approving the use of certain courses in continuing
  238         chiropractic education; amending s. 460.4165, F.S.;
  239         providing that services rendered by a certified
  240         chiropractic physician’s assistant under indirect
  241         supervision may occur only at the supervising
  242         chiropractic physician’s address of record; deleting
  243         the length of time specified for the basic program of
  244         education and training for certified chiropractic
  245         physician’s assistants; amending s. 460.4166, F.S.;
  246         authorizing a registered chiropractic assistant to
  247         operate therapeutic office equipment; requiring a
  248         registered chiropractic assistant to register with the
  249         board effective April 1, 2012, and pay a fee for
  250         registration; requiring a registered chiropractic
  251         assistant to submit an initial application by March
  252         31, 2012, or within 30 days after becoming employed,
  253         whichever is later; requiring an applicant to specify
  254         place of employment and supervising chiropractic
  255         physicians; requiring an application to be signed by a
  256         chiropractic physician who is an owner of the
  257         applicant’s place of employment; providing an
  258         effective date of a registered chiropractic
  259         assistant’s registration; authorizing who may
  260         supervise a registered chiropractic assistant;
  261         requiring a registered chiropractic assistant to
  262         notify to the board of his or her change of
  263         employment; requiring a chiropractic physician to sign
  264         the registered chiropractic assistant’s notification
  265         of change in employment; requiring a registered
  266         chiropractic assistant’s employer to notify the board
  267         when a registered chiropractic assistant is no longer
  268         employed by that employer; providing eligibility
  269         conditions for registering as a registered
  270         chiropractic assistant; requiring the biennial renewal
  271         of a registered chiropractic assistant’s registration
  272         and payment of a renewal fee; requiring the board to
  273         adopt by rule forms for certain statutorily required
  274         applications and notifications; providing for the
  275         signature of certain forms and notices by specified
  276         owners and supervisors under certain conditions;
  277         amending s.