Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=SB12%20INTR.htm&yr=2014&sesstype=RS&i=12
Timestamp: 2018-02-21 21:36:54
Document Index: 238476663

Matched Legal Cases: ['§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§30', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16']

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §16-4F-1, §16-4F-2, §16-4F-3, §16-4F-4 and §16-4F-5; to amend and reenact §30-3-14 and §30-3-16 of said code; to amend and reenact §30-7-15a of said code; to amend and reenact §30-14-11 of said code; and to amend and reenact §30-14A-1 of said code, all relating to treatment for a sexually transmitted disease; defining terms; permitting prescribing of antibiotics to sexual partners of a patient without a prior examination of the partner; requiring patient counseling; establishing counseling criteria; requiring information materials be prepared by the Department of Health and Human Resources; providing limited liability for providing expedited partnership therapy; providing that health care professionals and pharmacists are not liable for not providing expedited partner therapy or filling certain prescriptions; requiring legislative rules regarding what is considered a sexually transmitted disease; and providing that physicians, physician assistants and advanced nurse practitioners are not subject to disciplinary action for providing expedited partner therapy.
(C) A physician assistant licensed pursuant to section sixteen, article three, chapter thirty of this code or article fourteen-a, chapter thirty of this code; or
(D) An advanced nurse practitioner who may prescribe drugs pursuant to section fifteen-a, article seven, chapter thirty of this code.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a health care professional who makes a clinical diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease may provide expedited partner therapy for the treatment of the sexually transmitted disease if in the judgment of the health care professional the sexual partner is unlikely or unable to be present for comprehensive health care, including evaluation, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. Expedited partner therapy is limited to a sexual partner who may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease within the previous sixty days and who is able to be contacted by the patient.
(b) A health care professional who provides expedited partner therapy shall comply with all necessary provisions of article four of this chapter.
(b) The department may offer educational programs about expedited partner therapy for health care professionals and pharmacists licensed pursuant to article five, chapter thirty of this code.
The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to designate certain diseases as sexually transmitted diseases. These shall include, at a minimum, chancroid, gonorrhea, granuloma inguinale, lymphogranuloma venereum, genital herpes simplex, chlamydia, nongonococcal urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, acute salpingitis, syphilis, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and human immunodeficiency virus. The department shall consider the recommendations and classifications of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other nationally recognized medical authorities in making these designations.
(13) Prescribing, dispensing, administering, mixing or otherwise preparing a prescription drug, including any controlled substance under state or federal law, other than in good faith and in a therapeutic manner in accordance with accepted medical standards and in the course of the physician's or podiatrist's professional practice. Provided, That A physician who discharges his or her professional obligation to relieve the pain and suffering and promote the dignity and autonomy of dying patients in his or her care and, in so doing, exceeds the average dosage of a pain relieving controlled substance, as defined in Schedules II and III of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, does not violate this article. A physician licensed under this chapter may not be disciplined for providing expedited partner therapy in accordance with article four-f, chapter sixteen of this code;
(6) A provision that a physician assistant licensed under this chapter may not be disciplined for providing expedited partner therapy in accordance with article four-f, chapter sixteen of this code.
(u) The provisions of this This section do does not authorize a physician assistant to perform any specific function or duty delegated by this code to those persons licensed as chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, optometrists or pharmacists or certified as nurse anesthetists.
(4) An osteopathic physician assistant may not be disciplined for providing expedited partner therapy in accordance with article four-f, chapter sixteen of this code.
(4) The provisions of this This section do does not authorize an osteopathic physician assistant to perform any specific function or duty delegated by this code to those persons licensed as chiropractors, dentists, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, dental hygienists, optometrists or pharmacists or certified as nurse anesthetists.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow for expedited partner therapy treatment for a sexually transmitted disease. It would permit prescribing antibiotics for the partner of a patient without first examining the partner under certain circumstances. The bill requires counseling by the physician. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Resources to develop outreach materials. The bill has limited liability for physician, physician assistants and advance nurse practitioners who prescribe in an expedited partner therapy setting. The bill provides that health care professionals and pharmacists are not liable for not providing expedited partner therapy or filling certain prescriptions. The bill makes changes to the licensing portions of the code to make it permissible for the various disciplines to provide expedited partner therapy without disciplinary actions from their respective licensing boards.
§16-4F-1, §16-4F-2, §16-4F–3, §16-4F-4 and §16-4F-5 are new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.