BILL REQ. #: H-2498.1
State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 03/09/05.
AN ACT Relating to the uniform disciplinary act for health professions; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The uniform disciplinary act provides a
consistent process for addressing acts of unprofessional conduct
affecting fifty-nine health professions regulated by the state. The
disciplinary authorities include the secretary of health and sixteen
boards and commissions charged with protecting the health and safety of
patients from unprofessional conduct. It is recognized nationally as
a model law and has worked well over time to provide uniformity and
efficiency to the disciplinary process.
The legislature finds that there may be methods for increasing the
efficiency and effectiveness of this model through the redistribution
of duties between the secretary of health and the health profession
boards and commissions. In addition, there is an opportunity to
achieve greater consistency in the sanctions imposed across the health
professions through specifically identified sanctions for specific acts
of unprofessional conduct. A more consistent application of sanctions
across professions protects both the safety of the public and the due
process rights of all health care professionals.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The secretary of health shall establish a
work group to review the complaint processing and sanction
determination phases of the health professions disciplinary process.
At the secretary of health's discretion, the work group may include
representatives of different health profession boards and commissions,
professional associations, and other interested parties. The work
group shall submit a report to the legislature by December 1, 2005,
with recommendations for creating:
(1) Greater efficiencies between the health professions boards and
commissions and the secretary of health in processing complaints
against license holders; and
(2) More consistent sanction determinations that balance the
protection of the public's health and the rights of health care
providers among the different health professions, including
recommendations for specific ranges of sanctions for each act of
unprofessional conduct and the effect of any aggravating and mitigating
factors that may apply to each.