HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6272

BYSenators West, Johnson and Smith

Providing for discipline of assistants of health care professionals.

House Committe on Health Care

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Brooks, Ranking Republican Member; Cantwell, Morris, Prentice, D. Sommers, Vekich and Wolfe.

House Staff:John Welsh (786-7133)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE FEBRUARY 22, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Uniform Disciplinary Act provides administrative procedures and sanctions for specified unprofessional conduct and for unsafe practice of persons registered, certified, or licensed by the state as health care professionals.  The purpose of the act is to provide standardized procedures for the enforcement of laws to assure the public of the adequacy of professional competence and conduct in the healing arts.  The act covers 28 health and health-related professions regulated by the state.

Some regulated health care professionals are permitted by law to employ health assistants.  Unregulated health assistants are not covered under the Uniform Disciplinary Act nor governed by any professional administrative disciplinary processes.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  Unregulated health assistants, granted a right to practice by statute or rule under a regulated health professional, are subject to the provisions of the Uniform Disciplinary Act.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The Department of Health is given rule-making authority to implement the act.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Chris Rose, Department of Health.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The employment of health care assistants by health professionals may present risks to the public resulting from unprofessional conduct or unsafe practice.  Health assistants need to be subject to the same disciplinary process as the regulated health professions in order to protect the public.  The Uniform Disciplinary Act provides the proper procedures and sanctions for the health professions.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.