Healthcare (Medical Licensing)

Creates the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact Act. Provides that, one year after the effective date of the Act, the State of Illinois enters into the PA Licensure Compact in substantially the form provided in the Act with all other states joining the Compact. Provides that the purpose of the Compact is for participating states of the Compact to have allied in common purpose to develop a comprehensive process that complements the existing authority of state licensing boards to license and discipline physician assistants and to seek to enhance the portability of a license to practice as a physician assistant while safeguarding the safety of patients. Contains provisions relating to requirements for state participation in the contract. Includes the procedures a licensee must follow to apply for and obtain compact privilege. Provides that a participating state in which a licensee is licensed under the Compact shall have exclusive power to impose adverse action against the qualifying license issued by that participating state. Provides for the creation of a PA Licensure Compact Commission, including a delegate selected by each participating state's licensing board. Includes other provisions relating to the operation of the Commission, including when the Commission is implemented, the data system used by the Commission, and Commission rules. Includes provisions relating to oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement; construction and severability; and the binding effect of the Compact. Amends the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Requires, no later than 3 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to (i) submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly describing all rule and statutory changes necessary to comply with the PA Licensure Compact and (ii) begin rulemaking procedures necessary to modify its rules to conform with the requirements of the PA Licensure Compact.

Amends the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act. Removes a provision which provides that, in ambulatory surgical treatment centers, anesthesia service shall be under the direction of a physician who has had specialized preparation or experience in the area or who has completed a residency in anesthesiology. Specifies that, with respect to anesthesia service in an ambulatory surgical treatment center, a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall seek consultation regarding development of an anesthesia plan and treatment of patients as is appropriate to the certified registered nurse anesthetist's level of expertise and scope of practice and as is warranted by the needs of the patient. Removes a requirement that an anesthesiologist participate through discussion of and agreement with the anesthesia plan and remain physically present and be available on the premises. Provides that a certified registered nurse anesthetist with clinical privileges may perform acts of advanced assessment and diagnosis and may provide such functions for which the certified registered nurse anesthetist is educationally and experientially prepared. Makes conforming changes to the Hospital Licensing Act. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a written collaborative agreement shall be adequate with respect to collaboration with certified registered nurse anesthetists if all of the following apply: (1) the agreement is written to promote the exercise of professional judgment by the certified registered nurse anesthetist commensurate with his or her education and experience; (2) the certified registered nurse anesthetist provides service based on a written collaborative agreement with the collaborating physician; and (3) methods of communication are available with the collaborating physician in person or through telecommunications for consultation, collaboration, and referral as needed to address patient care needs. Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that an Illinois-licensed advanced practice registered nurse certified as a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall be deemed by law to possess the ability to practice without a written collaborative agreement. Sets forth requirements for a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Makes conforming changes in the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the Naturopathic Medical Practice Act. Provides for the licensure of naturopathic doctors. Sets forth the qualifications for licensure. Provides the scope of practice of naturopathic doctors. Requires a person licensed under the Act to use specified titles and prohibits a person not licensed under the Act from using specified titles. Creates the Naturopathic Medical Board to oversee the licensure of naturopathic doctors and matters relating to training and licensure of naturopathic doctors. Sets forth the membership and duties of the Board. Contains provisions concerning approved naturopathic medical educational programs; displaying licenses; written collaboration agreements; prohibited actions by a licensee; exemptions; license expiration, renewal, denial, revocation, and continuing education; grounds for disciplinary action; investigations, notice, and hearings; records of proceedings at formal hearings; and confidentiality. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Authorizes physicians to collaborate with a naturopathic doctor in accordance with the requirements of the Naturopathic Medical Practice Act. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Adds naturopathic doctors to meaning of "prescriber" and "prescription". Effective immediately.

Amends the Acupuncture Practice Act. Provides that "acupuncture" also includes ordering laboratory tests in accordance with State law to check, track, evaluate, and monitor the status and effectiveness of pain management, herbal medicinal plans, dietary and exercise plans, and orders as may be provided to the patient from a physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act. Removes the provision that states that an acupuncturist licensed under the Act who is not also licensed as a physical therapist under the Illinois Physical Therapy Act shall not hold himself or herself out as being qualified to provide physical therapy or physiotherapy services.

Amends the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act. Removes provisions allowing the Department of Human Services to conduct site visits to an agency licensed under the Act, or to any program or placement certified by the agency, and inspect the records or premises, or both, of such agency, program or placement as it deems appropriate, for the purpose of determining compliance with the Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, and applicable Department rules and regulations. Requires the Department to establish a system of regular, ongoing, and unannounced on-site inspections, that shall occur at least annually, of each agency licensed under the Act or any program or placement certified by an agency licensed under the Act under the Department's jurisdiction. Provides that the inspections shall be conducted by the Department's central office to achieve specified goals.

Creates the Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice Act. Provides for the licensure of certified anesthesiologist assistants by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Sets forth provisions concerning: email address and address of record for all applicants and licensees; the function, powers, and duties of the Department; supervision requirements; applications for licensure; qualifications for licensure; endorsement by the Department of certified anesthesiologist assistants from another jurisdictions; criminal history records background checks; and other specified requirements. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act to repeal the Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice Act on January 1, 2030. Amends the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act and the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that, in addition to the specified professionals, a licensed certified anesthesiologist assistant may assist a licensed physician, dentist, or podiatric physician. Provides that, in addition to the specified professionals, a licensed anesthesiologist assistant under the supervision of an anesthesiologist is an individual who, with clinical privileges granted at the hospital, may administer anesthesia services. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that one member of the Illinois State Medical Board shall be a certified anesthesiologist assistant licensed to practice in Illinois. Establishes delegation of authority from a supervising anesthesiologist to a certified anesthesiologist assistant. Provides that the Act does not preclude a certified anesthesiologist assistant from performing specified actions.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that one of the criteria that the Board of Nursing shall take into consideration when reviewing a registered professional nurse education program is whether the program satisfies specified criteria in provisions regarding program effectiveness (rather than satisfies the measurement of program effectiveness based on a passage rate of all graduates over the 3 most recent calendar years without reference to first-time test takers). Provides that, in order for a program to obtain initial Department of Financial and Professional Regulation approval and to maintain Department approval, the passage rates of the program's graduating classes on the State-approved licensure exam must meet one of the measurements of program effectiveness (rather than be deemed satisfactory by the Department). Provides that a registered professional nurse education program meeting one of the measurements of program effectiveness shall be deemed in good standing. Provides that the Department may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtained a license or other authorization to practice under the Act based on educational credits received from a registered professional nurse education program that did not meet a set of requirements during the time period when the person obtained the credits. Sets forth requirements for program effectiveness. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Creates a license for dental therapists. Sets forth requirements for licensure, a written collaborative management agreement, the examination of applicants, and the scope of practice. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to maintain a list of the names and addresses of all dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists and of all persons whose licenses have been suspended or revoked, together with other information relative to the enforcement of the Act. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act. Requires a licensed occupational therapist or licensed occupational therapy assistant who intends to provide services for individuals, groups, and populations concerning occupational therapy needs without a referral to do so within the licensee's scope of practice. Provides that a referral is not required for the purpose of providing consultations, habilitation services, screenings, education, wellness services, preventions services, environmental assessments, and work-related ergonomic services. Provides that, except for occupational therapy services within the licensee's scope of practice at the time of evaluation and services provided pursuant to provisions concerning when referrals are not required, an occupational therapist shall refer a patient to the patient's treating health care professional of record, or to a health care professional of the patient's choosing if there is no health care professional of record, if the patient meets certain criteria. Provides that an occupational therapist shall refer a patient to the patient's treating health care professional of record, or to a health care professional of the patient's choosing if there is no health care professional of record if the patient does not demonstrate measurable or function improvement after 10 visits (rather than after 10 visits or 15 business days, whichever occurs first).

Amends the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act, the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act, and the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act. Allows an applicant for licensure under those Acts to temporarily practice under supervision while the applicant's application for licensure is pending under specified circumstances. Removes good moral character standards as qualification requirements for the licensing of social workers and music therapists. Creates procedures for placing a license on inactive status for social workers and professional counselors. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must allow reasonable exam accommodations for licensed marriage and family therapists and clinical psychologists whose primary language is not English if a test in the therapist's or psychologist's primary language is not available.