HB 171

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to osteopathic physicians; amending s.
3459.0055, F.S.; revising the requirements for
4licensure or certification as an osteopathic physician
5in this state; amending s. 459.021, F.S.; revising
6provisions relating to registration of physicians,
7interns, and fellows; providing an effective date.
8
9Be 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
15desiring to be licensed or certified as an osteopathic physician
16pursuant to this chapter shall:
17     (m)  Demonstrate that she or he has obtained a passing
18score, as established by rule of the board, on all parts of the
19examination conducted by the National Board of Osteopathic
20Medical Examiners or other examination approved by the board no
21more than 5 years before making application in this state or, if
22holding a valid active license in another state, that the
23initial licensure in the other state occurred no more than 5
24years after the applicant obtained a passing score on the
25examination conducted by the National Board of Osteopathic
26Medical Examiners or other substantially similar examination
27approved by the board.
28     (2)  If the applicant holds a valid active license in
29another state and it has been more than 2 years since the active
30practice of osteopathic medicine, or if an applicant does not
31hold a valid active license to practice osteopathic medicine in
32another state and it has been more than 2 years since completion
33of a resident internship, residency, or fellowship, and the
34board determines that the applicant may lack clinical
35competency, possess diminished or inadequate skills, lack
36necessary medical knowledge, or exhibit patterns of deficits in
37clinical decisionmaking, the board may:
38     (a)  Deny the application;
39     (b)  Issue a license having reasonable restrictions or
40conditions that may include, but are not limited to, a
41requirement for the applicant to practice under the supervision
42of a physician approved by the board; or
43     (c)  Issue a license upon receipt of documentation
44confirming that the applicant has met any reasonable conditions
45of the board which may include, but are not limited to,
46completing continuing education or undergoing an assessment of
47skills and training. For an applicant holding a valid active
48license in another state, he or she shall submit evidence of the
49active licensed practice of medicine in another jurisdiction in
50which initial licensure must have occurred no more than 5 years
51after the applicant obtained a passing score on the examination
52conducted by the National Board of Medical Examiners or other
53substantially similar examination approved by the board;
54however, such practice of osteopathic medicine may have been
55interrupted for a period totaling no more than 2 years or for a
56longer period if the board determines that the interruption of
57the osteopathic physician's practice of osteopathic medicine for
58such longer period has not adversely affected the osteopathic
59physician's present ability and fitness to practice osteopathic
60medicine.
61     Section 2.  Subsections (1), (3), (4), and (6) of section
62459.021, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
63     459.021  Registration of resident physicians, interns, and
64fellows; list of hospital employees; penalty.-
65     (1)  Any person who holds a degree of Doctor of Osteopathic
66Medicine from a college of osteopathic medicine recognized and
67approved by the American Osteopathic Association who desires to
68practice as a resident physician, assistant resident physician,
69house physician, intern, or fellow in fellowship training which
70leads to subspecialty board certification in this state, or any
71person desiring to practice as a resident physician, assistant
72resident physician, house physician, intern, or fellow in
73fellowship training in a teaching hospital in this state as
74defined in s. 408.07(45) or s. 395.805(2), who does not hold an
75active license issued under this chapter shall apply to the
76department to be registered, on an application provided by the
77department, before commencing such a training program and shall
78remit a fee not to exceed $300 as set by the board.
79     (3)  Every hospital or teaching hospital having employed or
80contracted with or utilized the services of a person who holds a
81degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from a college of
82osteopathic medicine recognized and approved by the American
83Osteopathic Association as a resident physician, assistant
84resident physician, house physician, intern, or fellow in
85fellowship training registered under this section shall
86designate a person who shall furnish, on dates designated by the
87board, in consultation with the department, to the department a
88list of all such persons who have served in such hospital during
89the preceding 6-month period. The chief executive officer of
90each such hospital shall provide the executive director of the
91board with the name, title, and address of the person
92responsible for filing such reports.
93     (4)  The registration may be revoked or the department may
94refuse to issue any registration for any cause which would be a
95ground for its revocation or refusal to issue a license to
96practice osteopathic medicine, as well as on the following
97grounds:
98     (a)  Omission of the name of an intern, resident physician,
99assistant resident physician, house physician, or fellow in
100fellowship training from the list of employees required by
101subsection (3) to be furnished to the department by the hospital
102or teaching hospital served by the employee.
103     (b)  Practicing osteopathic medicine outside of a bona fide
104hospital training program.
105     (6)  Any person desiring registration pursuant to this
106section shall meet all the requirements of s. 459.0055, except
107paragraphs (1)(l) and (m).
108     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.


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