Subject of Possible Rule Making: Physician assistant and allopathic physician health equity continuing education. The Washington medical commission (commission) is considering adopting a new section in chapter 246-918 WAC (physician assistants) and 246-919 WAC (physicians) to meet the requirements of ESSB 5229 (chapter 276, Laws of 2021) regarding health equity continuing education (CE). The department of health (department) created model rules, WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830, to comply with the bill codified in RCW 43.70.613. The commission will consider these model rules as part of this rule making. The commission will also consider whether additional CE hours and course topics should be included.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.71.017, 18.130.050; and ESSB 5229 (chapter 276, Laws of 2021) codified in RCW 43.70.613.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: By January 1, 2024, RCW 43.70.613(1) requires each health profession credentialed under RCW 18.130.040 with a CE requirement to adopt rules requiring completion of health equity CE training at least once every four years.

RCW 43.70.613 (3)(b) also directed the department to create model rules establishing minimum standards for health equity CE programs. The department adopted rules for health equity CE minimum requirements as WSR 22-23-167 on November 23, 2022. Any rules developed by the commission for licensed allopathic physicians and physician assistants must meet or exceed the minimum standards in the model rules found at WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830.

The goal of health equity CE training is to ensure that health care professionals complete health equity training and that the content of the health equity trainings include instruction on skills to address structural factors, such as bias, racism, and poverty, which manifest as health inequities.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Amelia Boyd, Program Manager, P.O. Box 47866, Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-918-6336, TTY 711, email amelia.boyd@wmc.wa.gov, website wmc.wa.gov.

Additional comments: To join the interested parties email list, please visit https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new?topic_id=WADOH_153.