WSR 23-23-078
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
(Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery)
[Filed November 13, 2023, 10:36 a.m., effective December 14, 2023]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: Health equity continuing competency training for osteopathic physicians. New WAC 246-853-075 Health equity continuing education training requirements. The board of osteopathic medicine and surgery (board) is adopting new WAC 246-853-075, to implement ESSB 5229 (chapter 276, Laws of 2021), codified as RCW
43.70.613. The board has adopted the health equity model rules, WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830, for osteopathic physicians to comply with RCW
43.70.613.
RCW
43.70.613 (3)(b) directs the rule-making authority for each health profession licensed under Title
18 RCW that is subject to continuing education (CE) to adopt rules requiring a licensee to complete health equity CE training at least once every four years. The statute also directed the department of health (department) to create model rules establishing the minimum standards for health equity CE programs. The department filed model rules for health equity CE minimum standards on November 23, 2022, under WSR 22-23-167. Any rules adopted by the board must meet or exceed the minimum standards in the model rules in WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830.
The adopted rule adds two hours of health equity education, as required in the model rules, to be completed as part of the current CE requirements every four years. The adopted rule does not change the total CE hours but requires two hours in health equity CE every four years, which is absorbed into the existing number of CE hours required. The health equity CE requirement is counted under existing, unspecified CE requirements for the profession.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: New WAC 246-853-075.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 23-16-101 on July 31, 2023.
A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Becky McElhiney, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-4766, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 711, email osteopathic@doh.wa.gov, website doh.wa.gov/osteopathic.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, 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: November 6, 2023.
Shannon Phipps, DO, Chair
Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery
OTS-4641.1
NEW SECTION
WAC 246-853-075Health equity continuing education training requirements.
(1) An osteopathic physician must complete two hours of health equity continuing education training every four years as described in WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830.
(2) The two hours of health equity continuing education an osteopathic physician completes count toward meeting applicable continuing education requirements.