SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 1535

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

            Health & Long-Term Care, April 1, 1997

Title:  An act relating to naturopathic health care practitioners.

Brief Description:  Declaring a naturopath a health care practitioner for certain purposes.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Sherstad, Cody, Dyer, Murray, Cooke, O'Brien, Cooper, Wolfe, Cole, Veloria, Butler, Ogden, Anderson, Mason and Van Luven).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Health & Long‑Term Care:  3/28/97, 4/1/97 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Deccio, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Benton, Franklin and Strannigan.

Staff:  Rhoda Jones (786-7198)

Background:  Health care assistants assist health care practitioners and health facilities by providing limited care to patients.  Physicians, osteopathic physicians, podiatrists, nurses and advanced registered nurse practitioners, as well as hospitals and nursing homes may use health care assistants.  They may administer injections when supervised by a health care practitioner who is physically present and immediately available.

Practitioners of naturopathic medicine are not authorized by law to certify and use health care assistants.  The practice of naturopathy includes the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the body by stimulating the natural processes of the body.  Naturopaths may administer injections for immunization, blood withdrawal and vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Health care assistants are registered with the Department of Health and included under the Uniform Disciplinary Act.

Summary of Bill:  Licensed naturopaths are included among the health care practitioners who may certify an individual for use as a health care assistant.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This corrects language in statute which is necessary to allow current practice to continue.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Donna Datsko, Bastyr University (pro); Jeff Larsen, Bastyr University/Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (pro).