Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1630
By Senator Rouson
16-00866-23 20231630__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to anesthesiologist assistants;
3 amending ss. 458.3475 and 459.023, F.S.; revising the
4 definitions of the terms “anesthesiologist” and
5 “direct supervision”; revising requirements for the
6 written protocol between an anesthesiologist assistant
7 and a supervising anesthesiologist; revising
8 provisions relating to duties and functions
9 anesthesiologist assistants may perform; revising
10 requirements related to applications for licensure as
11 an anesthesiologist assistant; providing an effective
12 date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (g) of subsection (1),
17 paragraph (a) of subsection (3), and paragraphs (a) and (b) of
18 subsection (6) of section 458.3475, Florida Statutes, are
19 amended to read:
20 458.3475 Anesthesiologist assistants.—
21 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
22 (a) “Anesthesiologist” means an allopathic or osteopathic
23 physician who holds an active, unrestricted license; who has
24 successfully completed an anesthesiology training program
25 approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical
26 Education or its equivalent; and who is certified by the
27 American Board of Anesthesiology, is eligible to take that
28 board’s examination, or is certified by the Board of
29 Certification in Anesthesiology affiliated with the American
30 Association of Physician Specialists.
31 (g) “Direct supervision” means the physical presence of a
32 supervising anesthesiologist on the premises such that the
33 supervising anesthesiologist is immediately available as needed
34 onsite, personal supervision by an anesthesiologist who is
35 present in the office when the procedure is being performed in
36 that office, or is present in the surgical or obstetrical suite
37 when the procedure is being performed in that surgical or
38 obstetrical suite and who is in all instances immediately
39 available to provide assistance and direction to the
40 anesthesiologist assistant while anesthesia services are being
41 performed.
42 (3) PERFORMANCE OF ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS.—
43 (a) An anesthesiologist assistant may assist an
44 anesthesiologist in developing and implementing an anesthesia
45 care plan for a patient, may personally administer the
46 prescribed anesthetic under the direct supervision of an
47 anesthesiologist, and may perform tasks and services as
48 specified in a written protocol approved by the supervising
49 anesthesiologist which may include any of the following
50 functions. In providing assistance to an anesthesiologist, an
51 anesthesiologist assistant may perform duties established by
52 rule by the board in any of the following functions that are
53 included in the anesthesiologist assistant’s protocol while
54 under the direct supervision of an anesthesiologist:
55 1. Obtain a comprehensive patient history and present the
56 history to the supervising anesthesiologist.
57 2. Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and
58 monitor, obtain, and interpret information from the systems and
59 monitors.
60 3. Assist the supervising anesthesiologist with the
61 implementation of medically accepted monitoring techniques.
62 4. Establish basic and advanced airway interventions,
63 including intubation of the trachea and performing ventilatory
64 support.
65 5. Administer intermittent vasoactive drugs and start and
66 adjust vasoactive infusions.
67 6. Administer anesthetic drugs, adjuvant drugs, and
68 accessory drugs.
69 7. Assist the supervising anesthesiologist with the
70 performance of epidural anesthetic procedures and spinal
71 anesthetic procedures.
72 8. Administer blood, blood products, and supportive fluids.
73 9. Support life functions during anesthesia health care,
74 including induction and intubation procedures, the use of
75 appropriate mechanical supportive devices, and the management of
76 fluid, electrolyte, and blood component balances.
77 10. Recognize and take appropriate corrective action for
78 abnormal patient responses to anesthesia, adjunctive medication,
79 or other forms of therapy.
80 11. Participate in management of the patient while in the
81 postanesthesia recovery area, including the administration of
82 any supporting fluids or drugs.
83 12. Place special peripheral and central venous and
84 arterial lines for blood sampling and monitoring as appropriate.
85 (6) ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT LICENSURE.—
86 (a) Any person desiring to be licensed as an
87 anesthesiologist assistant must apply to the department. The
88 department shall issue a license to any person certified by the
89 board to:
90 1. Be at least 18 years of age.
91 2. Have satisfactorily passed a proficiency examination
92 with a score established by the National Commission on
93 Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants.
94 3. Be certified in advanced cardiac life support.
95 4. Have completed the application form and remitted an
96 application fee, not to exceed $1,000, as set by the boards. An
97 application must include:
98 a. A certificate of completion of an approved graduate
99 level program.
100 b. An acknowledgment A sworn statement of any prior felony
101 convictions.
102 c. An acknowledgment A sworn statement of any prior
103 discipline or denial of licensure or certification in any state.
104 d. Two letters of recommendation from anesthesiologists.
105 (b) A license must be renewed biennially. Each renewal must
106 include:
107 1. A renewal fee, not to exceed $1,000, as set by the
108 boards.
109 2. An acknowledgment A sworn statement of no felony
110 convictions in the immediately preceding 2 years.
111 Section 2. Paragraphs (a) and (g) of subsection (1),
112 paragraph (a) of subsection (3), and paragraphs (a) and (b) of
113 subsection (6) of section 459.023, Florida Statutes, are amended
114 to read:
115 459.023 Anesthesiologist assistants.—
116 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
117 (a) “Anesthesiologist” means an osteopathic or allopathic
118 physician who holds an active, unrestricted license; who has
119 successfully completed an anesthesiology training program
120 approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical
121 Education, or its equivalent, or the American Osteopathic
122 Association; and who is certified by the American Osteopathic
123 Board of Anesthesiology or is eligible to take that board’s
124 examination, is certified by the American Board of
125 Anesthesiology or is eligible to take that board’s examination,
126 or is certified by the Board of Certification in Anesthesiology
127 affiliated with the American Association of Physician
128 Specialists.
129 (g) “Direct supervision” means the physical presence of a
130 supervising anesthesiologist on the premises such that the
131 supervising anesthesiologist is immediately available as needed
132 onsite, personal supervision by an anesthesiologist who is
133 present in the office when the procedure is being performed in
134 that office, or is present in the surgical or obstetrical suite
135 when the procedure is being performed in that surgical or
136 obstetrical suite and who is in all instances immediately
137 available to provide assistance and direction to the
138 anesthesiologist assistant while anesthesia services are being
139 performed.
140 (3) PERFORMANCE OF ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS.—
141 (a) An anesthesiologist assistant may assist an
142 anesthesiologist in developing and implementing an anesthesia
143 care plan for a patient, may personally administer the
144 prescribed anesthetic under the direct supervision of an
145 anesthesiologist, and may perform tasks and services as
146 specified in a written protocol approved by the supervising
147 anesthesiologist which may include any of the following
148 functions. In providing assistance to an anesthesiologist, an
149 anesthesiologist assistant may perform duties established by
150 rule by the board in any of the following functions that are
151 included in the anesthesiologist assistant’s protocol while
152 under the direct supervision of an anesthesiologist:
153 1. Obtain a comprehensive patient history and present the
154 history to the supervising anesthesiologist.
155 2. Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and
156 monitor, obtain, and interpret information from the systems and
157 monitors.
158 3. Assist the supervising anesthesiologist with the
159 implementation of medically accepted monitoring techniques.
160 4. Establish basic and advanced airway interventions,
161 including intubation of the trachea and performing ventilatory
162 support.
163 5. Administer intermittent vasoactive drugs and start and
164 adjust vasoactive infusions.
165 6. Administer anesthetic drugs, adjuvant drugs, and
166 accessory drugs.
167 7. Assist the supervising anesthesiologist with the
168 performance of epidural anesthetic procedures and spinal
169 anesthetic procedures.
170 8. Administer blood, blood products, and supportive fluids.
171 9. Support life functions during anesthesia health care,
172 including induction and intubation procedures, the use of
173 appropriate mechanical supportive devices, and the management of
174 fluid, electrolyte, and blood component balances.
175 10. Recognize and take appropriate corrective action for
176 abnormal patient responses to anesthesia, adjunctive medication,
177 or other forms of therapy.
178 11. Participate in management of the patient while in the
179 postanesthesia recovery area, including the administration of
180 any supporting fluids or drugs.
181 12. Place special peripheral and central venous and
182 arterial lines for blood sampling and monitoring as appropriate.
183 (6) ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT LICENSURE.—
184 (a) Any person desiring to be licensed as an
185 anesthesiologist assistant must apply to the department. The
186 department shall issue a license to any person certified by the
187 board to:
188 1. Be at least 18 years of age.
189 2. Have satisfactorily passed a proficiency examination
190 with a score established by the National Commission on
191 Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants.
192 3. Be certified in advanced cardiac life support.
193 4. Have completed the application form and remitted an
194 application fee, not to exceed $1,000, as set by the boards. An
195 application must include:
196 a. A certificate of completion of an approved graduate
197 level program.
198 b. An acknowledgment A sworn statement of any prior felony
199 convictions.
200 c. An acknowledgment A sworn statement of any prior
201 discipline or denial of licensure or certification in any state.
202 d. Two letters of recommendation from anesthesiologists.
203 (b) A license must be renewed biennially. Each renewal must
204 include:
205 1. A renewal fee, not to exceed $1,000, as set by the
206 boards.
207 2. An acknowledgment A sworn statement of no felony
208 convictions in the immediately preceding 2 years.
209 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.