SB0473: Various health care matters.

Legislative Summary

Various health care matters. Specifies the process for a managed care organization to follow concerning home modification services. Requires a patient of an opioid treatment program (program) who has tested positive on a drug test to be given a random drug test monthly until the patient passes the test. (Current law requires the patient to be tested weekly.) Allows a program to close on Sundays and federal holidays. Prohibits the division of mental health and addiction from: (1) requiring a program's medical director to have admitting privileges at a hospital; and (2) establishing rules or guidelines concerning program admission and medication that are more stringent than federal regulations. Allows specified health care providers to perform the initial assessment, examination, and evaluation of a patient being admitted to a program. Allows the medical staff of an ambulatory outpatient surgical center to make recommendations on the granting of clinical privileges or the appointment or reappointment of an applicant to the governing board of the ambulatory outpatient surgical center for a period not to exceed 36 months. (Current law allows medical staff of hospitals to make recommendations.) Establishes the certified health care professions commission (commission). Sets forth the requirements for the: (1) certification of nurse aides and qualified medication aides; and (2) registration of home health aides. Specifies the duties of the Indiana department of health and the commission in regulating these professions. Relocates provisions concerning training for home health aides and requires the commission to approve the training. Sets forth requirements on facilities in employing nurse aides. Specifies the definition of "nurse aide" for purposes of an administrative rule. Makes changes to the release of medical information statute. Modifies the duties of the center for deaf and hard of hearing education. Adds provisions regarding "family navigators" and specifies the role of family navigators in the provisions of the bill regarding the center for deaf and hard of hearing education. Allows a prescriber to prescribe certain agonist opioids through telehealth services for the treatment or management of opioid dependence. (Current law allows only a partial agonist to be prescribed through telehealth.) Allows certain residential care administrators an exemption from taking continuing education during the initial licensing period. Allows for the provision of certain anesthesia in a physician's office or a podiatrist's office without the office being accredited. (Current law allows for this in dental offices.) Requires adverse events concerning anesthesia in an office based setting to be reported to the medical licensing board of Indiana (board). Requires the board to: (1) determine the types of adverse events to be reported; (2) establish a procedure for reporting; and (3) post the adverse events on the board's website. Creates a process for certain individuals who do not have a Social Security number and who are seeking licensure by examination as a registered nurse or practical nurse to obtain a provisional license. Requires a nursing program to offer a clinical experience for clinical hours in a hospital and a health facility setting.