AN ACT Relating to the medical disciplinary board; amending RCW 18.130.180; adding new sections to chapter 18.72 RCW; and repealing RCW 18.72.040, 18.72.050, 18.72.055, 18.72.060, 18.72.070, and 18.72.080.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 18.72 RCW to read as follows:

There is hereby created the Washington state medical disciplinary board, which shall be composed of one holder of a valid license to practice medicine and surgery to be appointed by the governor from each congressional district now existing or hereafter created in the state, four members representing the public, and one nonvoting member who is a physician assistant authorized to practice under chapter 18.71A RCW. The public members and the physician assistant member shall be appointed by the governor. The governor shall stagger initial terms of appointment and thereafter all terms of appointment shall be for four years. The governor shall consider such persons who are recommended for appointment by professional medical associations in the state. The members representing the public shall be persons whose occupations are other than the administration of health activities or the providing of health services, who have no fiduciary obligations to a health facility or other health agency, and who have no material financial interest in the rendering of health services.

Nothing in this section shall affect the current terms of members of the board who are serving on the board as of the effective date of this act.

Vacancies on the board shall be filled promptly by the governor, and a member appointed to fill a vacancy on the board shall continue to serve until his or her successor is appointed.

The terms of office of members of the board shall not be affected by the creation of either new boundaries for congressional districts or additional districts.

The board shall be an administrative agency of the state of Washington. The attorney general shall be the advisor to the board and shall represent it in all legal proceedings.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 18.72 RCW to read as follows:

To assist in identifying impairment related to alcohol abuse, the board may obtain a copy of the driving record of a physician or a physician assistant maintained by the department of licensing.

Sec. 3. RCW 18.130.180 and 1989 c 270 s 33 are each amended to read as follows:

The following conduct, acts, or conditions constitute unprofessional conduct for any license holder or applicant under the jurisdiction of this chapter:

(1) The commission of any act involving moral turpitude, dishonesty, or corruption relating to the practice of the person's profession, whether the act constitutes a crime or not. If the act constitutes a crime, conviction in a criminal proceeding is not a condition precedent to disciplinary action. Upon such a conviction, however, the judgment and sentence is conclusive evidence at the ensuing disciplinary hearing of the guilt of the license holder or applicant of the crime described in the indictment or information, and of the person's violation of the statute on which it is based. For the purposes of this section, conviction includes all instances in which a plea of guilty or nolo contendere is the basis for the conviction and all proceedings in which the sentence has been deferred or suspended. Nothing in this section abrogates rights guaranteed under chapter 9.96A RCW;

(2) Misrepresentation or concealment of a material fact in obtaining a license or in reinstatement thereof;

(3) All advertising which is false, fraudulent, or misleading;

(4) Incompetence, negligence, or malpractice which results in injury to a patient or which creates an unreasonable risk that a patient may be harmed;

(5) Suspension, revocation, or restriction of the individual's license to practice the profession by competent authority in any state, federal, or foreign jurisdiction, a certified copy of the order, stipulation, or agreement being conclusive evidence of the revocation, suspension, or restriction;

(6) The possession, use, prescription for use, or distribution of controlled substances or legend drugs in any way other than for legitimate or therapeutic purposes, diversion of controlled substances or legend drugs, the violation of any drug law, or prescribing controlled substances for oneself;

(7) Violation of any state or federal statute or administrative rule regulating the profession in question, including any statute or rule defining or establishing standards of patient care or professional conduct or practice;

(8) Failure to cooperate with the disciplining authority by:

(a) Not furnishing any papers or documents;

(b) Not furnishing in writing a full and complete explanation covering the matter contained in the complaint filed with the disciplining authority; or

(c) Not responding to subpoenas issued by the disciplining authority, whether or not the recipient of the subpoena is the accused in the proceeding;

(9) Failure to comply with an order issued by the disciplining authority or an assurance of discontinuance entered into with the disciplining authority;

(10) Aiding or abetting an unlicensed person to practice when a license is required;

(11) Violations of rules established by any health agency;

(12) Practice beyond the scope of practice as defined by law or rule;

(13) Misrepresentation or fraud in any aspect of the conduct of the business or profession;

(14) Failure to adequately supervise auxiliary staff to the extent that the consumer's health or safety is at risk;

(15) Engaging in a profession involving contact with the public while suffering from a contagious or infectious disease involving serious risk to public health;

(16) Promotion for personal gain of any unnecessary or inefficacious drug, device, treatment, procedure, or service;

(17) Conviction of any gross misdemeanor or felony relating to the practice of the person's profession. For the purposes of this subsection, conviction includes all instances in which a plea of guilty or nolo contendere is the basis for conviction and all proceedings in which the sentence has been deferred or suspended. Nothing in this section abrogates rights guaranteed under chapter 9.96A RCW;

(18) The procuring, or aiding or abetting in procuring, a criminal abortion;

(19) The offering, undertaking, or agreeing to cure or treat disease by a secret method, procedure, treatment, or medicine, or the treating, operating, or prescribing for any health condition by a method, means, or procedure which the licensee refuses to divulge upon demand of the disciplining authority;

(20) The willful betrayal of a practitioner-patient privilege as recognized by law;

(21) Violation of chapter 19.68 RCW;

(22) Interference with an investigation or disciplinary proceeding by willful misrepresentation of facts before the disciplining authority or its authorized representative, or by the use of threats or harassment against any patient or witness to prevent them from providing evidence in a disciplinary proceeding or any other legal action;

(23) Current misuse of:

(a) Alcohol;

(b) Controlled substances; or

(24) Abuse of a client or patient or sexual contact with a client or patient;

(25) Acceptance of more than a nominal gratuity, hospitality, or subsidy offered by a representative or vendor of medical or health-related products or services intended for patients, in contemplation of a sale or for use in research publishable in professional journals, where a conflict of interest is presented, as defined by rules of the disciplining authority, in consultation with the department, based on recognized professional ethical standards.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:

(1) RCW 18.72.040 and 1986 c 300 s 2, 1977 c 71 s 1, & 1955 c 202 s 4;

(2) RCW 18.72.050 and 1982 1st ex.s. c 30 s 3, 1977 c 71 s 2, & 1955 c 202 s 5;

(3) RCW 18.72.055 and 1982 1st ex.s. c 30 s 4;

(4) RCW 18.72.060 and 1979 ex.s. c 111 s 2 & 1955 c 202 s 6;

(5) RCW 18.72.070 and 1955 c 202 s 7; and

(6) RCW 18.72.080 and 1955 c 202 s 8.