Enhances the ability of the department of health to investigate, discipline, and monitor licensed physicians, physician assistants, and specialist assistants.
Impact
If enacted, S08335 will directly impact the procedures by which the Department of Health can address allegations against medical professionals. The changes would provide the department with broader leeway to take immediate action, such as temporary suspensions, against licensees who are suspected of causing imminent danger to public health. Additionally, the bill introduces strict timelines for communication between the department and the licensees, which intends to expedite the investigation processes related to complaints and violations.
Summary
Bill S08335 aims to enhance the authority of the New York Department of Health in relation to the investigation, discipline, and monitoring of licensed medical professionals, including physicians, physician assistants, and specialist assistants. This legislation seeks to amend existing laws in the education and public health domains to enable more efficient actions against professionals who violate medical standards or who are deemed a danger to public safety. The bill emphasizes the necessity for timely responses in cases of alleged misconduct, including mental health issues and criminal behavior.
Contention
Discussions surrounding S08335 highlight concerns from various stakeholders about the balance between public safety and the rights of medical professionals. Proponents assert that the measures are necessary to protect patients and ensure high standards within the medical community. However, critics caution that the new rules could lead to overreach by regulatory bodies, undermining the rights of practitioners and potentially harming those who may be wrongly accused. Issues regarding the potential for misuse of the expedited process and its implications for due process rights are particularly contentious.
Permits the performance of medical services by a physician assistant without the supervision of a physician as appropriate to the physician assistant's scope of practice, education and training where such physician assistant has practiced for more than three thousand six hundred hours.
Permits the performance of medical services by a physician assistant without the supervision of a physician as appropriate to the physician assistant's scope of practice, education and training where such physician assistant has practiced for more than three thousand six hundred hours.
Requires every physician, physician assistant, specialist assistant, registered nurse and licensed practical nurse to complete course work or training regarding human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infections testing and the elements of sexual health including sexual orientation and gender identity.
Allows certain certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants or physicians to be able to be certified as an emergency service technician to service rural areas of the state.
Provides that health care plan participation by physicians shall be reported, for purposes of physician profiles, by the health care plans; requires physicians to periodically submit information for his or her physician profile within 6 months of his or her triennial re-registration to practice; authorizes physicians to designate a designee to submit his or her information for the physician profile.
Provides that health care plan participation by physicians shall be reported, for purposes of physician profiles, by the health care plans; requires physicians to periodically submit information for his or her physician profile within 6 months of his or her triennial re-registration to practice; authorizes physicians to designate a designee to submit his or her information for the physician profile.
Adopts the PA licensure compact to enhance the portability of a physician assistant license between participating states while safeguarding the safety of patients.
Adopts the PA licensure compact to enhance the portability of a physician assistant license between participating states while safeguarding the safety of patients.
Requires diversity, inclusion and elimination of bias training for physicians, physician assistants and nurses as part of continuing medical education requirements; establishes such training shall be a biennial requirement.
Provides guidelines, corrective actions, and transparency, and reconfigures the composition of committees of professional conduct within the office of professional medical conduct; adds penalties for certain sexual misconduct-related violations by medical professionals.
Provides guidelines, corrective actions, and transparency, and reconfigures the composition of committees of professional conduct within the office of professional medical conduct; adds penalties for certain sexual misconduct-related violations by medical professionals.