H-975                _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1526

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Fuhrman, Bristow, Moyer, Wolfe, Sprenkle, Brooks, Chandler, Morris, Nealey, D. Sommers, Hargrove, McLean, Smith, Hankins, Youngsman, Rector and Jones

Read first time 1/27/89 and referred to Committee on Health Care.

AN ACT Relating to a study of health professional cross-credentialing in rural areas; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that a shortage of trained radiologists, respiratory therapists, and pharmacy and laboratory technologists exists in rural areas of the state.  In addition, low patient volumes in rural hospitals and primary care clinics make it financially difficult to hire and retain separate individuals with skills from each of these professions.  The result is that health care services that could be provided locally are often not provided and patients are forced to go to urban areas for care.

          The legislature declares that some limited cross- credentialing of health professionals with skills from one or more of these professions would be desirable in rural areas where shortages exist.  The legislature further declares that the cross-credentialing of health professionals should not result in a reduction in the quality of health care provided by such individuals.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) The department of licensing, in consultation with the board of pharmacy, the state health coordinating council, the higher education coordinating board, representatives of rural hospitals and rural primary health care clinics, and other entities that the department of licensing wishes to consult with, shall investigate opportunities for the development of a pool of individuals who are cross-trained with skills in radiology, respiratory therapy, and pharmacy and laboratory technology.

          (2) The department shall:

          (a) Determine whether there is a need for health care professionals with multiple skills in rural areas;

          (b) Determine whether individuals can be cross-credentialed for multiple skills without a reduction in the quality of health care;

          (c) Examine current training, education and state credentialing requirements for each of the affected professions;

          (d) Identify what training and educational requirements are needed to allow for the medical practice of individuals with multiple skills;

          (e) Develop recommendations on changes in current credentialing requirements to allow for credentialing of individuals with multiple skills; and

          (f) Develop recommendations on whether the medical practice of cross-credentialed individuals should be limited to rural areas of the state.

          (3) The department shall submit its findings and recommendations to the state health coordinating council by June 1, 1990. The state health coordinating council shall report to the house of representatives committee on health care and the senate committee on health care and corrections by December 1, 1990, on the need for changes in current credentialing requirements for the affected professions.