California Assembly Bill AB890 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 890AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 5, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 20, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ridley-Thomas FEBRUARY 26, 2015 An act to add Chapter 7.75 (commencing with Section 3550) to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 890, as amended, Ridley-Thomas. Anesthesiologist assistants. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of specified healing arts licensees, including, among others, physicians and surgeons, physician assistants, nurses, and nurse anesthetists. This bill would enact the Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice Act, which would make it unlawful for any person to hold himself or herself out as an anesthesiologist assistant unless he or she meets specified requirements. The bill would make it an unfair business practice to violate these provisions. The bill would require an anesthesiologist assistant to work under the  direction and  supervision of an anesthesiologist, and would require the anesthesiologist to be physically present on the premises and immediately available  if needed  to the anesthesiologist assistant when medical services are being rendered and to oversee the activities of, and accept responsibility for, the medical services being rendered by the anesthesiologist assistant. The bill would authorize an anesthesiologist assistant under the supervision of an anesthesiologist to  deliver medical services, including, but not limited to,   assist the supervising anesthesiologist in  developing and implementing an anesthesia care plan for a patient. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Chapter 7.75 (commencing with Section 3550) is added to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, to read: CHAPTER 7.75. ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT 3550. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice Act. 3551. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (a) "Anesthesiologist" means a physician and surgeon who has successfully completed a training program in anesthesiology accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association or equivalent organizations and is licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000). (b) "Anesthesiologist assistant" means a person who meets the requirements of Section 3552. 3552. (a) A person shall not hold himself or herself out to be an anesthesiologist assistant unless he or she meets the following requirements: (1) Has graduated from an anesthesiologist assistant program recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or by its successor agency. (2) Holds an active certification by the National Commission on Certification for Anesthesiologist Assistants. (b) It is an unfair business practice within the meaning of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 17200) of Part 2 of Division 7 for any person to use the title "anesthesiologist assistant" or any other term, including, but not limited to, "certified," "licensed," "registered," or "AA," that implies or suggests that the person is certified as an anesthesiologist assistant, if the person does not meet the requirements of subdivision (a). 3553. An anesthesiologist assistant shall work under the  direction and  supervision of an anesthesiologist. The supervising anesthesiologist shall do both of the following: (a) Be physically present on the premises and immediately available  if needed  to the anesthesiologist assistant when medical services are being rendered. (b) Oversee the activities of, and accept responsibility for, the medical services being rendered by the anesthesiologist assistant. 3554. Notwithstanding any other law, an anesthesiologist assistant under the supervision of an anesthesiologist may  deliver medical services, including, but not limited to,   assist the supervising anesthesiologist in  developing and implementing an anesthesia care plan for a patient.