WSR 16-21-055 PROPOSED RULES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (Medical Quality Assurance Commission) [Filed October 13, 2016, 2:56 p.m.]
Supplemental Notice to WSR 16-10-106.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 15-17-076.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: New WAC 246-918-185 Training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management for allopathic physician assistants, this is a supplemental proposal to proposed rules filed as WSR 16-10-106 on May 4, 2016.
Hearing Location(s): Capital Event Center, Educational Service District (ESD) 113, 6005 Tyee Drive S.W., Tumwater, WA 98512, (360) 464-6700, on December 1, 2016, at 8:30 a.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: December 1, 2016.
Submit Written Comments to: Daidria Underwood, P.O. Box 47866, Olympia, WA 98504-7866, e-mail https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/policyreview, fax (360) 236-4626, by November 23, 2016.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Daidria Underwood by November 17, 2016, TTY (800) 833-6388 or 711.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: ESHB 2315, chapter 71, Laws of 2014, requires allopathic physician assistants (among other professions) to complete a one time, six hour training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. Chapter 249, Laws of 2015 (ESHB 1424) revised the requirement date and the proposed rule incorporates that change as well. The proposed rule also incorporates an allowance in ESHB 1424 for the medical quality assurance commission (commission) to exempt certain physician assistants from the training. Supplemental: The original proposal defined brief or limited patient contact, which allowed for an exemption. As a result of public comment the commission decided not to define the term, but to allow physician assistants to determine whether they have brief or limited patient contact. Once the exemption no longer applies, the physician assistant must complete the training during the first full reporting period.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: The proposed rules implement suicide prevention training as required in ESHB 2315 as well as ESHB 1424. Supplemental: The law does not address the situation where a physician assistant is exempt but subsequently has more than brief or limited patient contact. The commission proposes to address this situation by requiring that these physician assistants must complete the training during the first full reporting period after the exemption no longer applies.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.71.017.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Medical quality assurance commission, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Daidria Underwood, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501, (360) 236-2727; Implementation and Enforcement: Melanie de Leon, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501, (360) 236-2755.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. The proposed rule would not impose more than minor costs on businesses in an industry.
A cost-benefit analysis is required under RCW 34.05.328. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis may be obtained by contacting Daidria Underwood, P.O. Box 47866, Olympia, WA 98504-7866, phone (360) 236-2727, fax (360) 236-2795, e-mail daidria.underwood@doh.wa.gov.
October 13, 2016
Melanie de Leon
Executive Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 246-918-185 Training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management.
(1) A licensed physician assistant must complete a one-time training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. The training must be at least six hours in length and may be completed in one or more sessions.
(2) The training must be completed by the end of the first full continuing education reporting period after January 1, 2016, or during the first full continuing education period after initial licensure, whichever occurs later, or during the first full continuing education reporting period after the exemption in subsection (6) of this section no longer applies. The commission accepts training completed between June 12, 2014, and January 1, 2016, that meets the requirements of RCW 43.70.442 as meeting the one-time training requirement.
(3) Until July 1, 2017, the commission must approve the training. The commission will approve an empirically supported training in suicide assessment, suicide treatment, and suicide management that meets the requirements of RCW 43.70.442.
(4) Beginning July 1, 2017, the training must be on the model list developed by the department of health under RCW 43.70.442. The establishment of the model list does not affect the validity of training completed prior to July 1, 2017.
(5) The hours spent completing training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management count toward meeting applicable continuing education requirements in the same category specified in WAC 246-918-180.
(6) The commission exempts any licensed physician assistant from the training requirements of this section if the physician assistant has only brief or limited patient contact, or no patient contact.
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