HB 171

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to osteopathic physicians; amending s.
3	459.0055, F.S.; revising the requirements for
4	licensure or certification as an osteopathic physician
5	in this state; amending s. 459.021, F.S.; revising
6	provisions relating to registration of physicians,
7	interns, and fellows; providing an effective date.
8
9	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	Section 1.  Paragraph (m) of subsection (1) and subsection
12	(2) of section 459.0055, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
13	459.0055  General licensure requirements.-
14	(1)  Except as otherwise provided herein, any person
15	desiring to be licensed or certified as an osteopathic physician
16	pursuant to this chapter shall:
17	(m)  Demonstrate that she or he has obtained a passing
18	score, as established by rule of the board, on all parts of the
19	examination conducted by the National Board of Osteopathic
20	Medical Examiners or other examination approved by the board no
21	more than 5 years before making application in this state or, if
22	holding a valid active license in another state, that the
23	initial licensure in the other state occurred no more than 5
24	years after the applicant obtained a passing score on the
25	examination conducted by the National Board of Osteopathic
26	Medical Examiners or other substantially similar examination
27	approved by the board.
28	(2)  If the applicant holds a valid active license in
29	another state and it has been more than 2 years since the active
30	practice of osteopathic medicine, or if an applicant does not
31	hold a valid active license to practice osteopathic medicine in
32	another state and it has been more than 2 years since completion
33	of a resident internship, residency, or fellowship, and the
34	board determines that the applicant may lack clinical
35	competency, possess diminished or inadequate skills, lack
36	necessary medical knowledge, or exhibit patterns of deficits in
37	clinical decisionmaking, the board may:
38	(a)  Deny the application;
39	(b)  Issue a license having reasonable restrictions or
40	conditions that may include, but are not limited to, a
41	requirement for the applicant to practice under the supervision
42	of a physician approved by the board; or
43	(c)  Issue a license upon receipt of documentation
44	confirming that the applicant has met any reasonable conditions
45	of the board which may include, but are not limited to,
46	completing continuing education or undergoing an assessment of
47	skills and training. For an applicant holding a valid active
48	license in another state, he or she shall submit evidence of the
49	active licensed practice of medicine in another jurisdiction in
50	which initial licensure must have occurred no more than 5 years
51	after the applicant obtained a passing score on the examination
52	conducted by the National Board of Medical Examiners or other
53	substantially similar examination approved by the board;
54	however, such practice of osteopathic medicine may have been
55	interrupted for a period totaling no more than 2 years or for a
56	longer period if the board determines that the interruption of
57	the osteopathic physician's practice of osteopathic medicine for
58	such longer period has not adversely affected the osteopathic
59	physician's present ability and fitness to practice osteopathic
60	medicine.
61	Section 2.  Subsections (1), (3), (4), and (6) of section
62	459.021, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
63	459.021  Registration of resident physicians, interns, and
64	fellows; list of hospital employees; penalty.-
65	(1)  Any person who holds a degree of Doctor of Osteopathic
66	Medicine from a college of osteopathic medicine recognized and
67	approved by the American Osteopathic Association who desires to
68	practice as a resident physician, assistant resident physician,
69	house physician, intern, or fellow in fellowship training which
70	leads to subspecialty board certification in this state, or any
71	person desiring to practice as a resident physician, assistant
72	resident physician, house physician, intern, or fellow in
73	fellowship training in a teaching hospital in this state as
74	defined in s. 408.07(45) or s. 395.805(2), who does not hold an
75	active license issued under this chapter shall apply to the
76	department to be registered, on an application provided by the
77	department, before commencing such a training program and shall
78	remit a fee not to exceed $300 as set by the board.
79	(3)  Every hospital or teaching hospital having employed or
80	contracted with or utilized the services of a person who holds a
81	degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from a college of
82	osteopathic medicine recognized and approved by the American
83	Osteopathic Association as a resident physician, assistant
84	resident physician, house physician, intern, or fellow in
85	fellowship training registered under this section shall
86	designate a person who shall furnish, on dates designated by the
87	board, in consultation with the department, to the department a
88	list of all such persons who have served in such hospital during
89	the preceding 6-month period. The chief executive officer of
90	each such hospital shall provide the executive director of the
91	board with the name, title, and address of the person
92	responsible for filing such reports.
93	(4)  The registration may be revoked or the department may
94	refuse to issue any registration for any cause which would be a
95	ground for its revocation or refusal to issue a license to
96	practice osteopathic medicine, as well as on the following
97	grounds:
98	(a)  Omission of the name of an intern, resident physician,
99	assistant resident physician, house physician, or fellow in
100	fellowship training from the list of employees required by
101	subsection (3) to be furnished to the department by the hospital
102	or teaching hospital served by the employee.
103	(b)  Practicing osteopathic medicine outside of a bona fide
104	hospital training program.
105	(6)  Any person desiring registration pursuant to this
106	section shall meet all the requirements of s. 459.0055, except
107	paragraphs (1)(l) and (m).
108	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.