BILL REQ. #:  H-3296.1 

     AN ACT Relating to requiring surgical patients to be tested for multidrug resistant organisms prior to being admitted to the hospital; adding a new section to chapter 18.57 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.71 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 70.41 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 18.57 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, an osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under this chapter may not perform a surgical procedure on a patient unless the patient has been tested for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus at least two weeks, but no earlier than three weeks, prior to the surgery. The test must be performed by, or at the direction of, a physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW or an osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under this chapter.
     (2) The osteopathic physician and surgeon responsible for performing the surgery shall, prior to the surgery:
     (a) Inform the patient of the results of the test required under subsection (1) of this section; and
     (b) Require the patient to be decolonized of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, as appropriate.
     (3) This section does not apply to a patient receiving emergency surgery or a patient in a hospital's intensive care unit.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 18.71 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a physician licensed under this chapter may not perform a surgical procedure on a patient unless the patient has been tested for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus at least two weeks, but no earlier than three weeks, prior to the surgery. The test must be performed by, or at the direction of, an osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW or a physician licensed under this chapter.
     (2) The physician responsible for performing the surgery shall, prior to the surgery:
     (a) Inform the patient of the results of the test required under subsection (1) of this section; and
     (b) Require the patient to be decolonized of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, as appropriate.
     (3) This section does not apply to a patient receiving emergency surgery or a patient in a hospital's intensive care unit.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 70.41 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a hospital licensed under this chapter shall verify that any surgical patient in the hospital has been tested for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus under section 1 or 2 of this act. The hospital may not allow a surgical patient to undergo surgery in the hospital unless the testing has occurred.
     (2) This section does not apply to a patient receiving emergency surgery or a patient in the hospital's intensive care unit.