SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6151
As of January 17, 2024
Title: An act relating to the provision of an ultrasound.
Brief Description: Concerning the provision of an ultrasound.
Sponsors: Senators Randall, Wilson, C., Nobles, Trudeau, Kuderer, Dhingra, Frame, Hasegawa, Keiser, Liias, Salda?a, Stanford and Valdez.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Health & Long Term Care: 1/19/24.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Prohibits an individual other than a licensed healthcare provider, or a person working under their supervision, from providing an ultrasound. 
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG TERM CARE
Staff: Greg Attanasio (786-7410)
Background:

An ultrasound is a noninvasive test using high-frequency sound waves to create real-time pictures or video of internal organs or other soft tissues, such as blood vessels, or to otherwise interact with tissue in the body. According to the National Institutes of Health, Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, ultrasounds fall into two categories, diagnostic and therapeutic. A diagnostic ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic technique used to produce an image inside the body. Most diagnostic ultrasound probes are placed on the skin. However, to optimize image quality, probes may be placed inside the body via the gastrointestinal tract, vagina, or blood vessels. An ultrasound is sometimes used during surgery by placing a sterile probe into the area being operated on. Diagnostic ultrasounds can be further subdivided into anatomical and functional ultrasounds. Anatomical ultrasound produces images of internal organs or other structures. Functional ultrasound combines information such as the movement and velocity of tissue or blood, softness or hardness of tissue, and other physical characteristics, with anatomical images to create information maps.

 

Therapeutic ultrasounds also use sound waves above the range of human hearing but do not produce images. Its purpose is to interact with tissues in the body such that they are either modified or destroyed. Among the modifications possible are moving or pushing tissue, heating tissue, dissolving blood clots, or delivering drugs to specific locations in the body.
Summary of Bill:

An ultrasound or a similar medical imaging device or procedure may only be provided by a licensed health care provider acting within their scope of practice, or a person acting under the supervision of a licensed health care provider where all actions performed are within the supervising health care provider's scope of practice.

 

A violation of this act constitutes practice without a license and the appropriate discipling authority must investigate any complaints pursuant to the Uniform Disciplinary Act. 
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 12, 2024.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.