Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 170
       
       
        
       By Senator Hooper
       
       
       
       
       
       16-00457-21                                            2021170__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to podiatric medicine; amending s.
    3         458.3485, F.S.; defining the term “physician”;
    4         amending s. 461.007, F.S.; authorizing the Board of
    5         Podiatric Medicine to require a specified number of
    6         continuing education hours related to the safe and
    7         effective prescribing of controlled substances;
    8         creating s. 461.0155, F.S.; providing for governance
    9         of podiatric physicians who are supervising medical
   10         assistants; amending s. 624.27, F.S.; revising the
   11         definition of the term “health care provider” to
   12         include podiatric physicians; providing an effective
   13         date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 458.3485, Florida
   18  Statutes, is amended to read:
   19         458.3485 Medical assistant.—
   20         (1) DEFINITION.—As used in this section:,
   21         (a) “Medical assistant” means a professional multiskilled
   22  person dedicated to assisting in all aspects of medical practice
   23  under the direct supervision and responsibility of a physician.
   24  This practitioner assists with patient care management, executes
   25  administrative and clinical procedures, and often performs
   26  managerial and supervisory functions. Competence in the field
   27  also requires that a medical assistant adhere to ethical and
   28  legal standards of professional practice, recognize and respond
   29  to emergencies, and demonstrate professional characteristics.
   30         (b) “Physician” means a person who is licensed as a
   31  physician under this chapter or as a podiatric physician under
   32  chapter 461.
   33         Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 461.007, Florida
   34  Statutes, is amended to read:
   35         461.007 Renewal of license.—
   36         (3) The board may by rule prescribe continuing education,
   37  not to exceed 40 hours biennially, as a condition for renewal of
   38  a license, with a minimum of 2 hours of continuing education
   39  related to the safe and effective prescribing of controlled
   40  substances. The criteria for such programs or courses shall be
   41  approved by the board.
   42         Section 3. Section 461.0155, Florida Statutes, is created
   43  to read:
   44         461.0155 Medical assistants.—A podiatric physician who is
   45  supervising a medical assistant shall be governed by s.
   46  458.3485.
   47         Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
   48  624.27, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   49         624.27 Direct health care agreements; exemption from code.—
   50         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   51         (b) “Health care provider” means a health care provider
   52  licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter
   53  461, chapter 464, or chapter 466, or a health care group
   54  practice, who provides health care services to patients.
   55         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.