Medical Assistant-Hemodialysis Technician.  The Department of Health (DOH) licenses four different types of medical assistants—medical assistant-certified, medical assistant-registered, medical assistant-phlebotomist, and medical assistant-hemodialysis technician (MA-HT).  Each type of medical assistant must be supervised by a health care practitioner, including a physician, an osteopathic physician, a podiatric physician, a registered nurse, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, a naturopath, a physician assistant, or an optometrist. 
 
An MA-HT is a person certified who performs hemodialysis and other functions under the supervision of a health care practitioner.  Other functions include but are not limited to:

• administering drugs and oxygen to a patient when delegated and supervised by a health care practitioner; and
• if trained by a federally approved end-stage renal disease facility, performing dialysis tasks in a renal dialysis center under immediate supervision of a registered nurse, or in a patient's home if a physician and a registered nurse are available for consultation during the dialysis.

An MA-HT applicant must complete a hemodialysis training program or hold a national credential as a hemodialysis technician that is substantially equivalent to training as outlined by DOH.  Military training or experience may also be satisfactory unless the secretary of DOH determines the training or experience is not substantially equivalent to the requirements outlined by DOH.  Applicants must also have the following competencies:

• completion of high school education or its equivalent;
• the ability to read, write, and converse in the English language;
• basic math skills including the use of fractions and decimal points; and 
• current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification.

Medical assistant-hemodialysis technician applicants may continue working at a dialysis facility, under the level of supervision required for the training program, for up to 120 days after filing the certification application in order to allow sufficient time for processing a MA-HT certification.

PRO:  Kidney dialysis facilities are facing staffing challenges.  Streamlining the process for medical assistant-hemodialysis technicians to receive certification provides the assistance needed to ensure access to treatment that won't be disrupted for dialysis patients.  This bill allows a 120 day gap period so applicants, who have finished their training, may continue working at the dialysis facilities and provide continuity of care.