Relating to the licensure of anesthesiologist assistants, and making penalties applicable

This bill creates the licensed profession of anesthesiology assisting under the authority of the board of medicine (board). The bill allows an anesthesiologist, defined in the bill as a physician and surgeon or osteopathic physician and surgeon who is trained in the administration of anesthesia, to delegate certain duties, listed in the bill, to an anesthesiologist assistant who is licensed by the board and supervised by the anesthesiologist. The bill includes definitions for both “assist” and “supervision”. The bill requires the board to license a person as an anesthesiologist assistant if the person graduates from an accredited anesthesiologist assistant program, completes an appropriate certification examination, submits an application on a form prescribed by the board, and pays an application fee in an amount determined by the board by rule. An anesthesiologist assistant shall be valid for two years and may be renewed. _____ the board by rule. A temporary license shall not be issued for a term of more than one year and is not eligible for renewal. The bill allows the board to revoke, suspend, restrict, or refuse to renew an anesthesiologist assistant license if the board determines that a licensee has violated a provision of the bill or rules adopted by the board. The bill also allows a board to reinstate a revoked license if the board makes certain determinations regarding the former licensee’s fitness to practice anesthesiologist assisting and the former licensee applies for reinstatement. The bill prohibits a former licensee from applying for reinstatement less than two years from the date the license is revoked, except that a person whose license was revoked due to a conviction for a crime that was later reversed on repeal may apply for reinstatement immediately upon the entry of reversal by the court. The bill allows an anesthesiologist assistant to perform only those duties delegated to the anesthesiologist assistant by the supervising anesthesiologist that are within the education and training of the anesthesiologist assistant. The bill requires a supervising anesthesiologist to be immediately available to the anesthesiologist assistant such that the supervising anesthesiologist is available to intervene if needed. The bill does not prohibit an anesthesiologist assistant from having access to and obtaining prescription drugs as directed by a supervising anesthesiologist.”, or otherwise representing that the person is an anesthesiologist assistant. The bill also prohibits a person from practicing anesthesiology assisting without a license issued pursuant to the bill unless the person is licensed to practice a health profession and the performance of anesthesiology assisting is within the scope of practice of the person’s license. A person who violates either of these provisions is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. _____ A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560.