Radiologic technology: fluoroscopy.

Existing law sets forth the duties of various agencies relating to the protection of the public health and safety from the harmful effects of radiation, including, among others, the duties of the State Department of Public Health regarding the licensing and regulation of radiologic technology. Existing law prohibits the administration or use of diagnostic, mammographic, or therapeutic X-ray on human beings in this state by a licentiate of the healing arts unless that person is certified and acting within the scope of that certification. Existing law requires the department to provide for the certification of licentiates of the healing arts to supervise the operation of X-ray machines or to operate X-ray machines, or both, to prescribe minimum standards of training and experience for these licentiates of the healing arts, and to prescribe procedures for examining applicants for certification. Under existing law, licentiate of the healing arts is defined to include any person licensed under the Medical Practice Act, the Osteopathic Act, or a specified initiative act that created the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, as provided. Existing law, the Physician Assistant Practice Act, separately establishes the Physician Assistant Committee of the Medical Board of California, and provides for the licensure of physician assistants meeting specified criteria and for the regulation of their practice. Under that act, a physician assistant is authorized to perform certain medical services under the supervision of a physician and surgeon, subject to certain exceptions. This bill would revise the definition of licentiate of the healing arts, for purposes of a fluoroscopy permit, to also include a physician assistant who is licensed pursuant to the Physician Assistant Practice Act and who practices under the supervision of a qualified physician and surgeon, as provided. This bill would require the department to issue a licentiate fluoroscopy permit to a qualified licentiate of the healing arts, as defined, and would allow the holder of a licentiate fluoroscopy permit to administer and use diagnostic, mammographic, or therapeutic X-ray on human beings, within the scope of fluoroscopy permit certification. The bill would require a physician assistant who is issued a licentiate fluoroscopy permit to meet specified continuing education requirements. The bill would also require the supervising physician and surgeon to have, or be exempt from having, a licentiate fluoroscopy permit to perform the functions that he or she is supervising, as provided. This bill would also allow a physician and surgeon to delegate to a licensed physician assistant specified procedures using fluoroscopy. The bill would specify training requirements that must be met in order for a physician assistant to be delegated this task. Existing law establishes the Radiation Control Fund for the collection of specified moneys, including fees for use, upon appropriation of the Legislature, to cover the costs of enforcing specified provisions of law relating to radiologic technology. This bill would allow the department to charge applicants for a licentiate fluoroscopy permit a fee in an amount sufficient to cover the costs of the licensing program, to be deposited in the Radiation Control Fund and used, upon appropriation of the Legislature, to fund implementation of the permit program.