CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
HOUSE BILL 1378
Chapter 44, Laws of 2021
67TH LEGISLATURE
2021 REGULAR SESSION
MEDICAL ASSISTANTS—TELEMEDICINE SUPERVISION
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 14, 2021Except for section 2, which becomes effective July 1, 2022.
Passed by the House February 23, 2021
  Yeas 96  Nays 0
LAURIE JINKINS

Speaker of the House of Representatives
Passed by the Senate March 30, 2021
  Yeas 49  Nays 0
DENNY HECK

President of the Senate
CERTIFICATE
I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1378 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.
BERNARD DEAN

Chief Clerk
Chief Clerk
Approved April 14, 2021 3:27 PM
FILED
April 15, 2021
JAY INSLEE

Governor of the State of Washington
Secretary of State
State of Washington

HOUSE BILL 1378

Passed Legislature - 2021 Regular Session
State of Washington
67th Legislature
2021 Regular Session
ByRepresentatives Ybarra, Cody, and Dolan
Read first time 01/26/21.Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.
AN ACT Relating to the supervision of medical assistants; amending RCW 18.360.010; reenacting and amending RCW 18.360.010; providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 18.360.010 and 2017 c 336 s 14 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Administer" means the retrieval of medication, and its application to a patient, as authorized in RCW 18.360.050.
(2) "Delegation" means direct authorization granted by a licensed health care practitioner to a medical assistant to perform the functions authorized in this chapter which fall within the scope of practice of the health care provider and the training and experience of the medical assistant.
(3) "Department" means the department of health.
(4) "Forensic phlebotomist" means a police officer, law enforcement officer, or employee of a correctional facility or detention facility, who is certified under this chapter and meets any additional training and proficiency standards of his or her employer to collect a venous blood sample for forensic testing pursuant to a search warrant, a waiver of the warrant requirement, or exigent circumstances.
(5) "Health care practitioner" means:
(a) A physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW;
(b) An osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW; or
(c) Acting within the scope of their respective licensure, a podiatric physician and surgeon licensed under chapter 18.22 RCW, a registered nurse or advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW, a naturopath licensed under chapter 18.36A RCW, a physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW, an osteopathic physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.57A RCW, or an optometrist licensed under chapter 18.53 RCW.
(6) "Medical assistant-certified" means a person certified under RCW 18.360.040 who assists a health care practitioner with patient care, executes administrative and clinical procedures, and performs functions as provided in RCW 18.360.050 under the supervision of the health care practitioner.
(7) "Medical assistant-hemodialysis technician" means a person certified under RCW 18.360.040 who performs hemodialysis and other functions pursuant to RCW 18.360.050 under the supervision of a health care practitioner.
(8) "Medical assistant-phlebotomist" means a person certified under RCW 18.360.040 who performs capillary, venous, and arterial invasive procedures for blood withdrawal and other functions pursuant to RCW 18.360.050 under the supervision of a health care practitioner.
(9) "Medical assistant-registered" means a person registered under RCW 18.360.040 who, pursuant to an endorsement by a health care practitioner, clinic, or group practice, assists a health care practitioner with patient care, executes administrative and clinical procedures, and performs functions as provided in RCW 18.360.050 under the supervision of the health care practitioner.
(10) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.
(11)(a) "Supervision" means supervision of procedures permitted pursuant to this chapter by a health care practitioner who is physically present and is immediately available in the facility, except as provided in (b) and (c) of this subsection.
(b) The health care practitioner does not need to be present during procedures to withdraw blood, but must be immediately available.
(c) During a telemedicine visit, supervision over a medical assistant assisting a health care practitioner with the telemedicine visit may be provided through interactive audio and video telemedicine technology.
Sec. 2. RCW 18.360.010 and 2020 c 80 s 26 are each amended to read as follows:
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Administer" means the retrieval of medication, and its application to a patient, as authorized in RCW 18.360.050.
(2) "Delegation" means direct authorization granted by a licensed health care practitioner to a medical assistant to perform the functions authorized in this chapter which fall within the scope of practice of the health care provider and the training and experience of the medical assistant.
(3) "Department" means the department of health.
(4) "Forensic phlebotomist" means a police officer, law enforcement officer, or employee of a correctional facility or detention facility, who is certified under this chapter and meets any additional training and proficiency standards of his or her employer to collect a venous blood sample for forensic testing pursuant to a search warrant, a waiver of the warrant requirement, or exigent circumstances.
(5) "Health care practitioner" means:
(a) A physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW;
(b) An osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW; or
(c) Acting within the scope of their respective licensure, a podiatric physician and surgeon licensed under chapter 18.22 RCW, a registered nurse or advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW, a naturopath licensed under chapter 18.36A RCW, a physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW, or an optometrist licensed under chapter 18.53 RCW.
(6) "Medical assistant-certified" means a person certified under RCW 18.360.040 who assists a health care practitioner with patient care, executes administrative and clinical procedures, and performs functions as provided in RCW 18.360.050 under the supervision of the health care practitioner.
(7) "Medical assistant-hemodialysis technician" means a person certified under RCW 18.360.040 who performs hemodialysis and other functions pursuant to RCW 18.360.050 under the supervision of a health care practitioner.
(8) "Medical assistant-phlebotomist" means a person certified under RCW 18.360.040 who performs capillary, venous, and arterial invasive procedures for blood withdrawal and other functions pursuant to RCW 18.360.050 under the supervision of a health care practitioner.
(9) "Medical assistant-registered" means a person registered under RCW 18.360.040 who, pursuant to an endorsement by a health care practitioner, clinic, or group practice, assists a health care practitioner with patient care, executes administrative and clinical procedures, and performs functions as provided in RCW 18.360.050 under the supervision of the health care practitioner.
(10) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.
(11)(a) "Supervision" means supervision of procedures permitted pursuant to this chapter by a health care practitioner who is physically present and is immediately available in the facility, except as provided in (b) and (c) of this subsection.
(b) The health care practitioner does not need to be present during procedures to withdraw blood, but must be immediately available.
(c) During a telemedicine visit, supervision over a medical assistant assisting a health care practitioner with the telemedicine visit may be provided through interactive audio and video telemedicine technology.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3. Section 1 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4. Section 1 of this act expires July 1, 2022.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5. Section 2 of this act takes effect July 1, 2022.
Passed by the House February 23, 2021.
Passed by the Senate March 30, 2021.
Approved by the Governor April 14, 2021.
Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 15, 2021.
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