PERMANENT RULES
(Occupational Therapy Practice Board)
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: WAC 246-847-175 Delegation of authority to initiate investigations, delegates the board's authority to initiate investigations to the department of health through a case management team that includes department staff and at least one clinical member of the board. This change should shorten the time to determine whether or not to investigate a case and reduce the processing time for handling a complaint thus improving patient safety.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.59.130 and 18.130.050.
Other Authority: RCW 18.130.050.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 07-07-099 on March 19, 2007.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: October 1, 2007.
Mark T. Lehner, OT, Chair
Occupational Therapy Practice Board
OTS-9471.2
NEW SECTION
WAC 246-847-175
Delegation of authority to initiate
investigations.
The board delegates to a department of health
case management team the authority to initiate an
investigation when the board or the department receives
information, by means of a complaint or otherwise, that a
licensee may have engaged in unprofessional conduct or may be
unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety by reason
of a mental or physical condition. The case management team
will consist of, at a minimum, a board member licensed under
chapter 18.59 RCW, the executive director or his or her
designee, an investigator and a staff attorney.
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