A Bill You Should Know
The 2017 Florida Legislative Session produced a bill calling for the completion of a specified course in orthotics and prosthetics for licensure and licensure renewal.
The following is a breakdown of the new law and its implications going forward:
HB 543 – Regulation of Health Care Practitioners
Effective Date: June 23, 2017
Summary:
This bill amends 468.80, Florida Statutes, requiring completion of a one-hour medical error course as a part of the licensure issuance and biennial renewal process. The course counts toward the total number of Continuing Education (CE) hours required. The course must be approved by the Board, be developed specifically for the field of orthotics and prosthetics, and include a study of root-cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, patient safety, and medical records.
HB 1121 Child Welfare
Effective Date: July 1, 2017
HB 1121 (full text)
HB 1121 permits hospitals licensed under Ch. 395, F.S. and physicians’ offices to release patient records to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) for investigative purposes. DCF agents or representatives can now obtain records without written permission from the patient, but only when the information will be used to investigate cases of abuse, neglect, or exploitation that impact children and/or vulnerable adults.
The bill also requires mental health receiving facilities to initiate an involuntary examination of a minor admitted under the Baker Act; this examination must take place within 12 hours of arrival at the facility.
If you’d like to view all 2017 bills impacting health care professions, please go to https://www.flhealthsource.gov/2017-bills
