Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/code.cfm?chap=30&art=14
Timestamp: 2017-04-23 14:17:43
Document Index: 625852605

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

Chapter 30 | Article 30 - 14
30 - 14 - 1 30 - 14 - 2 30 - 14 - 3 30 - 14 - 4 30 - 14 - 5 30 - 14 - 6 30 - 14 - 7 30 - 14 - 8 30 - 14 - 8 A 30 - 14 - 9 30 - 14 - 9 A 30 - 14 - 9 B 30 - 14 - 10 30 - 14 - 11 30 - 14 - 11 A 30 - 14 - 12 30 - 14 - 12 A 30 - 14 - 12 B 30 - 14 - 12 C 30 - 14 - 12 D 30 - 14 - 13 30 - 14 - 14 30 - 14 - 15 30 - 14 - 16 14A - ASSISTANTS TO OSTEOPATHIC PH
WVC 30 - 14 - ARTICLE 14. OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS.
WVC 30 - 14 - 1 §30-14-1. License required.
It is unlawful for any person to practice or offer to practice
medicine and surgery as an osteopathic physician and surgeon in
this state without a license or permit issued by the West Virginia
Board of Osteopathic Medicine: Provided, That any license
heretofore issued under the laws of this state, authorizing its
holder to practice osteopathy and surgery, shall in no way be
affected by the enactment of this article; except that the holder
of every such license shall be subject to all of the provisions of
this article respecting the requirements and obligations herein
prescribed for the continuance in force of such license.
WVC 30 - 14 - 2 §30-14-2. Definitions.
(a) "Accredited osteopathic college" means a college of
osteopathy and surgery which requires as a minimum prerequisite for
admission preprofessional training of at least two years of
academic work in specified scientific subjects, as prescribed by
the board or by the college accrediting agency of the American
Osteopathic Association, in an accredited college of arts and
sciences and which requires for graduation a course of study
approved by the board in accordance with the minimum standards
established by the American Osteopathic Association;
(b) "Approved program of post-graduate clinical training"
means a program of clinical training approved by, or subject of
approval by, the American Osteopathic Association or approved by
the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for the
purposes of intern or resident training;
(c) "Board" means the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic
Medicine: Provided, That where used elsewhere in the Code, the West
Virginia Board of Osteopathy and Board of Osteopathy shall also
mean the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine;
(d) "License" means legal authorization issued by the board to
a fully qualified osteopathic physician to engage in the regular
practice of osteopathic medicine and surgery;
(e) "Osteopathy" means that system of the healing art which
places the chief emphasis on the structural integrity of the body
mechanism as being the most important single factor in maintaining
the well-being of the organism in health and disease;
(f) "Permit" means a limited, legal authorization issued by the board to an osteopathic physician to practice osteopathic
medicine and surgery in this state while serving under special
circumstances of public need or while undergoing post-graduate
clinical training as a prerequisite to licensure;
(g) "Reciprocal endorsement" means a duly authenticated
verification of the board, addressed to a board or agency of
another country, state, territory, province or the District of
Columbia, vouching that a license issued to an osteopathic
physician and surgeon pursuant to the laws of this state is
currently valid and not suspended or revoked for any cause or
causes specified in this article.
WVC 30 - 14 - 3 §30-14-3. Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
(a)The West Virginia Board of Osteopathy is continued and
effective July 1, 2012 shall be known as the West Virginia Board of
Osteopathic Medicine. The members of the board shall continue to
serve until a successor is appointed and may be reappointed.
(b) The Governor shall appoint, by and with advice and consent
of the Senate, two additional members and stagger their initial
(1) One person who is a licensed osteopathic physician or
surgeon; and
(2) One person who is a licensed osteopathic physician
(c) The board consists of the following seven members, who are
appointed to staggered terms by the Governor with the advice and
consent of the Senate:
(3) Two citizen members, who are not associated with the
practice of osteopathic medicine.
(d) After the initial appointment, a board member's term shall
be for 5 years.
(e) The West Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association may
submit recommendations to the Governor for the appointment of an
osteopathic physician board member, and the West Virginia
Association of Physician Assistants may submit recommendations to
the Governor for the appointment of an osteopathic physician
assistant board member.
(f) Each licensed member of the board, at the time of his or
her appointment, must have held a license in this state for a
period of not less than five years immediately preceding the
(g) Each member of the board must be a U.S. citizen and a
resident of this state for a period of not less than five years
immediately preceding the appointment and while serving as a member
(h) A member may not serve more than two consecutive full
terms. A member having served two consecutive full terms may not be
appointed for one year after completion of his or her second full
term. A member may continue to serve until a successor has been
(i) A vacancy on the board shall be filled by appointment by
vacant and the appointment shall be made within sixty days of the
(j) The Governor may remove any member from the board for
(k) A member of the board immediately and automatically
forfeits membership to the board if his or her license to practice
is suspended or revoked, he or she is convicted of a felony under
the laws of any jurisdiction, or he or she becomes a nonresident of
(l) The board shall elect annually one of its members as a
chairperson and one of its members as a secretary who shall serve
at the will of the board.
(m) Each member of the board is entitled to compensation and
expense reimbursement in accordance with article one of this
(n) A simple majority of the membership serving on the board
at a given time constitutes a quorum.
(o) The board shall hold at least two meetings each year.
Other meetings may be held at the call of the chairperson or upon
the written request of two members, at the time and place as
(p) Prior to commencing his or her duties as a member of the
(q) The members of the board when acting in good faith,
without malice and within the scope of their duties as board
members shall enjoy immunity from individual civil liability.
WVC 30 - 14 - 4 §30-14-4. Application for license or educational permit.
(a) Each applicant for examination by the board, with the
exception of assistants to osteopathic physicians and surgeons, as
hereinafter provided, shall submit an application therefor on forms
prepared and furnished by the board.
(b) Each applicant for a license shall furnish evidence,
verified by oath and satisfactory to the board, establishing that
the applicant has satisfied the following requirements:
(3) The applicant has graduated from an accredited osteopathic
(4) The applicant has successfully completed either of the
(A) A minimum of one year of post-doctoral, clinical training
in a program approved by the American Osteopathic Association; or
(B) A minimum of one year of post-doctoral, clinical training
in a program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate
Medical Education and forty hours of continuing medical education
in osteopathic manipulative medicine and osteopathic manipulative
treatment in courses approved, and classified as Category 1A, by
(c) Each applicant for an educational permit shall furnish
evidence, verified by oath and satisfactory to the board,
establishing that the applicant has satisfied the following requirements:
(4) The applicant is under contract as an intern or resident
in an approved program of post-graduate clinical training.
(d) The board may not issue a license or permit to any person
until the applicant has paid the application fee established by
legislative rule of the board.
(e) In order to give timely effect to the amendments to this
section and section ten of this article, the board is authorized to
propose a legislative rule consistent with these amendments as an
emergency rule under the provisions of section fifteen, article
WVC 30 - 14 - 5 §30-14-5. Examination.
In order to receive a license to practice osteopathic medicine
and surgery, an applicant must satisfactorily complete a standard,
national examination, specified through legislative rule of the
board or an examination administered by the licensing authority of
another state and approved by the board as equivalent to the
national examination or to the former West Virginia state
The examination for a license to practice medicine and surgery
as an osteopathic physician and surgeon shall cover substantive and
clinical knowledge in all the essential branches of medicine and
surgery including anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology,
pathology, public health--preventive medicine, surgery, obstetrics
and gynecology, osteopathic medicine, materia medica principles and
practice of osteopathy. The list of subjects may be expanded or
regrouped at the discretion of the board.
WVC 30 - 14 - 6 §30-14-6. Issuance of license without examination; fee.
The board may at its discretion issue a license without
examination to an applicant who has been licensed by the national
board of examiners for osteopathic physicians and surgeons, and to
an applicant who has been licensed by examination in any country,
state, territory, province or the District of Columbia, provided
the requirements for licensure in the country, state, territory,
province or the District of Columbia in which the applicant is
licensed are deemed by the board to have been equivalent to
requirements for licensure in this state at the date such license
was issued. The board may also at its discretion issue a license
without examination to an osteopathic physician and surgeon who is
a graduate of an accredited osteopathic college and who has passed
the examination for admission into the medical corps of any of the
armed services of the United States or the United States public
health service. But no license shall be issued under the
provisions of this section until the person applying therefor shall
have paid to the board a reasonable fee, the amount of such
reasonable fee to be set by the board rules, and any other fees
applicable to investigation.
WVC 30 - 14 - 7 §30-14-7. Reciprocal endorsement fee.
For the issuance of any reciprocal endorsement, the board
shall collect a reasonable fee, the amount of such reasonable fee
to be set by the board rules.
WVC 30 - 14 - 8 §30-14-8. Temporary permits. A temporary permit to practice in areas where medical services
are needed, as determined by the board, may be granted by the board
to a qualified applicant eligible for licensure who applies for
examination during the period between examinations or regular
meetings of the board. A temporary permit may also be granted by
the board to a qualified applicant eligible for licensure by
national boards or reciprocity for a period of thirty days, in
which time applicant must appear before one of the board members
for an interview for permanent licensure. Such temporary permit
shall be effective until its holder has either been granted or
denied a license at the next regular meeting of the board. Such
permit shall be subject to revocation when, in the opinion of the
board, the terms and conditions prescribed in the permit have been
WVC 30 - 14 - 9 §30-14-9. Duties and rights of osteopathic physicians and
surgeons. Osteopathic physicians and surgeons licensed hereunder shall
have the same rights and privileges as physicians and surgeons of
other schools of medicine.
Osteopathic physicians and surgeons shall observe and be
subject to all state and municipal regulations relative to
reporting births and deaths and all matters pertaining to the
public health with equal rights and obligations as physicians of
other schools of medicine, and such reports shall be accepted by
the officers of the department to which the same are made.
Osteopathic physicians and surgeons licensed hereunder shall
other schools of medicine with respect to the treatment of cases
or the holding of health offices or offices in public
When one or more osteopathic physicians or surgeons duly
licensed to practice osteopathic medicine in the state of West
Virginia wish to form an osteopathic medical corporation, such
osteopathic physician or surgeon, or osteopathic physicians or
surgeons, shall file a written application with the board on a form
prescribed by the board, and shall furnish proof satisfactory to
the board that the signer or all of the signers of such application
is or are a duly licensed osteopathic physician or surgeon or
osteopathic physicians or surgeons. A reasonable fee, the amount
of such reasonable fee to be set by the board rules, shall
accompany each such application, no part of which shall be
If the board finds that the signer or all of the signers of
such application are duly licensed, the board shall notify the
issued to the individual or individuals signing such application.
When the secretary of state receives notification from the
board that a certain individual or individuals has or have been
issued a certificate of authorization, he or she shall attach such
authorization to the corporation application and upon compliance by
the corporation with chapter thirty-one of this code shall notify the incorporators that such corporation, through a duly licensed
osteopathic physician or surgeon or duly licensed osteopathic
physicians and surgeons, may engage in the practice of osteopathic
(a) An osteopathic medical corporation may practice
osteopathic medicine and surgery only through individual
osteopathic physicians and surgeons duly licensed to practice
osteopathic medicine or surgery in the state of West Virginia, but
such osteopathic physicians and surgeons may be employees rather
than shareholders of such corporation, and nothing herein contained
shall be construed to require a license for or other legal
authorization of any individual employed by such corporation to
perform services for which no license or other legal authorization
is otherwise required. Nothing contained in sections five and
nine-a and this section of this article is meant or intended to
change in any way the rights, duties, privileges, responsibilities
and liabilities incident to the osteopathic physician-patient
relationship nor is it meant or intended to change in any way the
personal character of the osteopathic physician-patient
relationship. A corporation holding such certificate of
authorization shall register biennially, on or before the thirtieth
day of June, on a form prescribed by the board, and shall pay an
annual reasonable registration fee, the amount of such reasonable
fee to be set by the board rules.
(b) An osteopathic medical corporation holding a certificate of authorization shall cease to engage in the practice of
osteopathic medicine and surgery upon being notified by the board
that any of its shareholders is no longer a duly licensed
osteopathic physician or surgeon, or when any shares of such
corporation have been sold or disposed of to a person who is not a
duly licensed osteopathic physician or surgeon: Provided, That the
personal representative of a deceased shareholder shall have a
period, not to exceed twelve months from the date of such
shareholder's death, to dispose of such shares; but nothing
contained herein shall be construed as affecting the existence of
such corporation or its right to continue to operate for all lawful
purposes other than the practice of osteopathic medicine and
(c) No corporation shall practice osteopathic medicine or
surgery, or any of its branches, or hold itself out as being
capable of doing so, without a certificate from the board; nor
shall any corporation practice osteopathic medicine or surgery or
any of its branches, or hold itself out as being capable of doing
so, after its certificate has been revoked, or if suspended, during
the term of such suspension. A certificate signed by the secretary
of the board to which is affixed the official seal of the board to
the effect that it appears from the records of the board that no
such certificate to practice osteopathic medicine or surgery or any
of its branches in the state has been issued to any such
corporation specified therein or that such certificate has been revoked or suspended shall be admissible in evidence in all courts
of this state and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated
(d) Any officer, shareholder or employee of such corporation
who participates in a violation of any provision of this section
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be
fined not exceeding one thousand dollars.
WVC 30 - 14 - 10 §30-14-10. Renewal of license; fee; refresher training a
prerequisite; effect of failure to renew;
reinstatement; educational permit.
(a) All holders of licenses to practice as osteopathic
physicians and surgeons in this state shall renew the licenses
biennially on or before July 1, by the payment of a renewal fee, to
the board. The board shall notify each licensee of the necessity
of renewing his or her license at least thirty days prior to the
(b) As a prerequisite to renewal of a license issued by the
board, each licensee shall furnish biennially to the board
satisfactory evidence of having completed thirty-two hours of
educational refresher course training, of which the total amount of
hours must be approved by the American Osteopathic Association, and
fifty percent of the required thirty-two hours shall be classified
as category (1).
(c) The failure to renew a license shall operate as an
automatic suspension of the rights and privileges granted by its
issuance. The board may propose rules for legislative approval,
pursuant to the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a
of this code, providing that an osteopathic physician may renew a
license on an inactive basis.
(d) A license suspended by a failure to make a biennial
renewal thereof may be reinstated by the board upon compliance of
the licensee with the following requirements:
(1) Presentation to the board of satisfactory evidence of
educational refresher training of quantity and standard approved by
the board for the previous two years;
(2) Payment of all fees for the previous two years that would
have been paid had the suspended licensee maintained his or her
(3) Payment to the board of a reinstatement fee specified by
(e) An educational permit authorizes the holder to practice
osteopathic medicine and surgery only for work performed within an
approved program of post-graduate clinical training under the
supervision of a duly licensed osteopathic or allopathic physician. The first educational permit issued to a graduate of an accredited
osteopathic college may be valid for a period of fifteen months and
subsequent educational permits issued to the same person may be
valid for not more than twelve months. An educational permit shall
expire upon the termination of the permit holder from an approved
program of post-graduate clinical training and may also be
suspended or revoked by the board at any time upon grounds defined
by the board by legislative rule.
§30-14-11. Refusal, suspension or revocation of license; suspension or revocation of certificate of authorization. (a) The board may either refuse to issue or may suspend or revoke any license for any one or more of the following causes: (1) Conviction of a felony, as shown by a certified copy of the record of the trial court; (2) Conviction of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; (3) Violation of any provision of this article regulating the practice of osteopathic physicians and surgeons; (4) Fraud, misrepresentation or deceit in procuring or attempting to procure admission to practice; (5) Gross malpractice; (6) Advertising by means of knowingly false or deceptive statements; (7) Advertising, practicing or attempting to practice under a name other than one's own; (8) Habitual drunkenness, or habitual addiction to the use of morphine, cocaine or other habit-forming drugs. (b) The board shall also have the power to suspend or revoke for cause any certificate of authorization issued by it. It shall have the power to reinstate any certificate of authorization suspended or revoked by it. (c) An osteopathic physician licensed under this article may not be disciplined for providing expedited partner therapy in accordance with article four-f, chapter sixteen of this code. WVC 30 - 14 - 11 A
§30-14-11a. Records of board; expungement; examination; notice;
public information; voluntary agreements relating
to alcohol or chemical dependency; confidentiality
of same; physician-patient privileges.
of all osteopathic physicians and osteopathic physician assistants,
licensed, certified or otherwise lawfully practicing in this state
and of all persons applying to be so licensed to practice, along
with an individual historical record for each such individual
containing reports and all other information furnished the board
under this article or otherwise. When the board receives a report
submitted pursuant to the provisions of section twelve-a of this
article, or when the board receives or initiates a complaint
regarding the conduct of anyone practicing osteopathic medicine or
surgery, the board shall create a separate complaint file in which
the board shall maintain all documents relating to the
investigation and action upon the alleged conduct.
(c) An osteopathic physician, osteopathic physician assistant,
or applicant, or authorized representative thereof, has the right,
upon request, to examine his or her own individual records
maintained by the board pursuant to this article and to place into
such record a statement of reasonable length of his or her own view of the correctness or relevance of any information existing in such
(d) An osteopathic physician, osteopathic physician assistant
or applicant has the right to seek through court action the
amendment or expungement of any part of his or her historical
(e) An osteopathic physician, osteopathic physician assistant
or applicant shall be provided written notice within thirty days of
the placement and substance of any information in his or her
individual historical record that pertains to him or her and that
was not submitted to the board by him or her, other than requests
for verification of the status of the individual's license and the
board's responses thereto.
individual's complaint file unless it has initiated a proceeding
of the information into the complaint file.
against a physician, or physician assistant are public information.
(h) (1) In order to encourage voluntary participation in
monitored alcohol, chemical dependency or major mental illness
alcoholism and chemical dependency are illnesses, an osteopathic
physician or osteopathic physician assistant licensed, certified,
or otherwise lawfully practicing in this state or applying for a
license to practice in this state may enter into a voluntary
agreement with the board-designated physician health program. The
agreement between the physician or physician assistant and the
physician health program shall include a jointly agreed upon
treatment program and mandatory conditions and procedures to
monitor compliance with the program of recovery.
(A) Such voluntary agreement is the result of the physician or
physician assistant self-enrolling or voluntarily participating in
the board-designated physician health program;
complaints regarding said physician or physician assistant relating
to an alcohol, chemical dependency or major mental illness
affecting the care and treatment of patients, nor received any
written reports pursuant to subsection (b), section fourteen of
this article relating to an alcohol or chemical dependency impairment; and
(C) The physician or physician assistant is in compliance with
the voluntary treatment program and the conditions and procedures
(3) If any osteopathic physician or osteopathic physician
assistant enters into a voluntary agreement with the board-approved
physician health program, pursuant to this subsection and then
fails to comply with, or fulfill the terms of said agreement the
physician health program shall report the noncompliance to the
board within twenty-four hours. The board may initiate
disciplinary proceedings pursuant to section eleven of this article
or may permit continued participation in the physician health
program or both.
proceeding as provided in this article, any information received,
maintained, or developed by the board relating to the alcohol or
chemical dependency impairment of any osteopathic physician or
osteopathic physician assistant and any voluntary agreement made
In the board's annual report of its activities to the Governor
and the Legislature required under section twelve, article one of this chapter, the board shall include information regarding the
success of the voluntary agreement mechanism established therein:
Provided, That in making such report the board shall not disclose
any personally identifiable information relating to any osteopathic
physician or osteopathic physician assistant participating in a
voluntary agreement as provided herein.
other jurisdictions of which the board has become aware and as may
WVC 30 - 14 - 12 §30-14-12. Offenses; penalties.
Each of the following acts shall constitute a misdemeanor,
punishable upon conviction by a fine of not less than one thousand
nor more than ten thousand dollars:
(a) The practice or attempting to practice as an osteopathic
physician and surgeon without a license or permit;
(b) The obtaining of or an attempt to obtain a license or
permit to practice in the profession for money or any other thing
of value, by fraudulent misrepresentation;
(c) The making of any willfully false oath or affirmation
whenever an oath or affirmation is required by this article;
(d) Advertising, practicing or attempting to practice under a
name other than one's own.
§30-14-12a. Initiation of suspension or revocation proceedings allowed and required; reporting of information to
board pertaining to professional malpractice and
professional incompetence required; penalties;
probable cause determinations.
(a) The board may independently initiate suspension or
revocation proceedings as well as initiate suspension or revocation
proceedings based on information received from any person.
The board shall initiate investigations as to professional
incompetence or other reasons for which a licensed osteopathic
physician and surgeon may be adjudged unqualified if the board
receives notice that three or more judgments or any combination of
judgments and settlements resulting in five or more unfavorable
outcomes arising from medical professional liability have been
rendered or made against such osteopathic physician within a
(b) Upon request of the board, any medical peer review
committee in this state shall report any information that may
relate to the practice or performance of any osteopathic physician
known to that medical peer review committee. Copies of such
requests for information from a medical peer review committee may
be provided to the subject osteopathic physician if, in the
discretion of the board, the provision of such copies will not
jeopardize the board's investigation. In the event that copies are
provided, the subject osteopathic physician has fifteen days to comment on the requested information and such comments must be
After the completion of a hospital's formal disciplinary
procedure and after any resulting legal action, the chief executive
officer of such hospital shall report in writing to the board
within sixty days the name of any member of the medical staff or
any other osteopathic physician practicing in the hospital whose
hospital privileges have been revoked, restricted, reduced or
terminated for any cause, including resignation, together with all
pertinent information relating to such action. The chief executive
officer shall also report any other formal disciplinary action
taken against any osteopathic physician by the hospital upon the
recommendation of its medical staff relating to professional
ethics, medical incompetence, medical malpractice, moral turpitude
or drug or alcohol abuse. Temporary suspension for failure to
maintain records on a timely basis or failure to attend staff or
section meetings need not be reported.
Any professional society in this state comprised primarily of
osteopathic physicians or physicians and surgeons of other schools
of medicine which takes formal disciplinary action against a member
relating to professional ethics, professional incompetence,
professional malpractice, moral turpitude or drug or alcohol abuse,
shall report in writing to the board within sixty days of a final
decision the name of such member, together with all pertinent
information relating to such action.
Every person, partnership, corporation, association, insurance
company, professional society or other organization providing
professional liability insurance to an osteopathic physician in
this state shall submit to the board the following information
within thirty days from any judgment, dismissal or settlement of a
civil action or of any claim involving the insured: The date of
any judgment, dismissal or settlement; whether any appeal has been
taken on the judgment, and, if so, by which party; the amount of
any settlement or judgment against the insured; and such other
information required by the board.
Within thirty days after a person known to be an osteopathic
physician licensed or otherwise lawfully practicing medicine and
surgery in this state or applying to be licensed is convicted of a
felony under the laws of this state, or of any crime under the laws
of this state involving alcohol or drugs in any way, including any
controlled substance under state or federal law, the clerk of the
court of record in which the conviction was entered shall forward
to the board a certified true and correct abstract of record of the
convicting court. The abstract shall include the name and address
of such osteopathic physician or applicant, the nature of the
offense committed and the final judgment and sentence of the court.
Upon a determination of the board that there is probable cause
to believe that any person, partnership, corporation, association,
insurance company, professional society or other organization has
failed or refused to make a report required by this subsection, the board shall provide written notice to the alleged violator stating
the nature of the alleged violation and the time and place at which
the alleged violator shall appear to show good cause why a civil
penalty should not be imposed. The hearing shall be conducted in
twenty-nine-a of this code. After reviewing the record of such
hearing, if the board determines that a violation of this
subsection has occurred, the board shall assess a civil penalty of
not less than one thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand
dollars against such violator. The board shall notify anyone
assessed of the assessment in writing and the notice shall specify
the reasons for the assessment. If the violator fails to pay the
amount of the assessment to the board within thirty days, the
attorney general may institute a civil action in the circuit court
of Kanawha County to recover the amount of the assessment. In any
such civil action, the court's review of the board's action shall
be conducted in accordance with the provisions of section four,
article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code.
Any person may report to the board relevant facts about the
conduct of any osteopathic physician in this state which in the
opinion of such person amounts to professional malpractice or
The board shall provide forms for filing reports pursuant to
this section. Reports submitted in other forms shall be accepted
The filing of a report with the board pursuant to any
provision of this article, any investigation by the board or any
disposition of a case by the board does not preclude any action by
a hospital, other health care facility or professional society
comprised primarily of osteopathic physicians or physicians and
surgeons of other schools of medicine to suspend, restrict or
revoke the privileges or membership of such osteopathic physician.
(c) In every case considered by the board under this article
regarding suspension, revocation or issuance of a license whether
initiated by the board or upon complaint or information from any
person or organization, the board shall make a preliminary
determination as to whether probable cause exists to substantiate
charges of cause to suspend, revoke or refuse to issue a license as
set forth in subsection (a), section eleven of this article. If
such probable cause is found to exist, all proceedings on such
charges shall be open to the public who are entitled to all
reports, records, and nondeliberative materials introduced at such
hearing, including the record of the final action taken: Provided,
That any medical records, which were introduced at such hearing and
which pertain to a person who has not expressly waived his right to
the confidentiality of such records, shall not be open to the
public nor is the public entitled to such records. If a finding is
made that probable cause does not exist, the public has a right of
access to the complaint or other document setting forth the
charges, the findings of fact and conclusions supporting such finding that probable cause does not exist, if the subject
osteopathic physician consents to such access.
(d) If the board receives notice that an osteopathic physician
has been subjected to disciplinary action or has had his or her
credentials suspended or revoked by the board, a medical peer
review committee, a hospital or professional society, as defined in
subsection (b) of this section, for three or more incidents in a
five-year period, the board shall require the osteopathic physician
to practice under the direction of another osteopathic physician
for a specified period to be established by the board.
§30-14-12b. Special volunteer medical license; civil immunity for
of osteopathy who wish to donate their expertise for the medical
care and treatment of indigent and needy patients in the clinic
setting of clinics organized, in whole or in part, for the delivery
of health care services without charge. The special volunteer
medical license shall be issued by the West Virginia Board of
Osteopathic Medicine to physicians licensed or otherwise eligible
for licensure under this article and the rules promulgated
hereunder without the payment of any application fee, license fee
or renewal fee, shall be issued for a fiscal year or part thereof,
and shall be renewable annually. The board shall develop
application forms for the special license provided for in this
subsection which shall contain the physician's acknowledgment that:
(1) The physician's practice under the special volunteer medical
license will be exclusively and totally devoted to providing
medical care to needy and indigent persons in West Virginia; (2)
the physician will not receive any payment or compensation, either
direct or indirect, or have the expectation of any payment or
compensation, for any medical services rendered under the special
volunteer medical license; (3) the physician will supply any
supporting documentation that the board may reasonably require; and
(4) the physician agrees to continue to participate in continuing
medical education as required of physicians in active practice.
(b) Any physician who renders any medical service to indigent and needy patients of clinics organized, in whole or in part, for
willful misconduct. In order for the immunity under this subsection
to apply, there must be a written agreement between the physician
and the clinic pursuant to which the physician will provide
voluntary noncompensated medical services under the control of the
licensure as listed in section ten of this article and in the legislative rules promulgated hereunder, except the fee
care and treatment of needy and indigent patients by a physician
who holds a special volunteer medical license.
§30-14-12c. License to practice as an osteopathic physician and
surgeon at certain state veterans nursing home
ability to issue a license to practice as an osteopathic physician
and surgeon in this state without examination to a physician that
currently holds a license to practice as an osteopathic physician
and surgeon at a Federal Veterans Administration Hospital upon
completion of an application form prescribed by the board and who
presents satisfactory proof to the board that he or she is
currently employed and practicing in a Federal Veterans
Administration Hospital that is located in a county in which a
nursing home operated by the West Virginia Department of Veteran's
Assistance is located: Provided, That the osteopathic physician
shall maintain an valid, unrestricted license to practice
osteopathic medicine in another state.
(b) The practice for which an osteopathic physician and
surgeon is licensed under this section is limited to practice in a
Assistance that is located in the same county in which the Federal
Veterans Administration Hospital where the individual is employed.
provisions of section fifteen, article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to implement the provisions of this section.
(e) The board shall report to the Legislative Oversight
Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability and the
§30-14-12d. Telemedicine practice; requirements; exceptions; definitions; rulemaking. (a) Definitions. – For the purposes of this section: (1) “Chronic non-malignant pain” means pain that has persisted after reasonable medical efforts have been made to relieve the pain or cure its cause and that has continued, either continuously or episodically, for longer than three continuous months. “Chronic non-malignant pain” does not include pain associated with a terminal condition or illness or with a progressive disease that, in the normal course of progression, may reasonably be expected to result in a terminal condition or illness. (2) “Physician” means a person licensed by the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine to practice osteopathic medicine in West Virginia. (3) "Store and forward telemedicine" means the asynchronous computer-based communication of medical data or images from an originating location to a physician at another site for the purpose of diagnostic or therapeutic assistance. (4) "Telemedicine" means the practice of medicine using tools such as electronic communication, information technology, store and forward telecommunication, or other means of interaction between a physician in one location and a patient in another location, with or without an intervening healthcare provider. (5) "Telemedicine technologies" means technologies and devices which enable secure electronic communications and information exchange in the practice of telemedicine, and typically involve the application of secure real-time audio/video conferencing or similar secure video services, remote monitoring, or store and forward digital image technology to provide or support healthcare delivery by replicating the interaction of a traditional in-person encounter between a physician and a patient. (b) Licensure. (1) The practice of medicine occurs where the patient is located at the time the telemedicine technologies are used. (2) A physician who practices telemedicine must be licensed as provided in this article. (3) This section does not apply to: (A) An informal consultation or second opinion, at the request of a physician who is licensed to practice medicine in this state, provided that the physician requesting the opinion retains authority and responsibility for the patient’s care; and (B) Furnishing of medical assistance by a physician in case of an emergency or disaster if no charge is made for the medical assistance. (c) Physician-Patient Relationship Through Telemedicine Encounter. (1) A physician-patient relationship may not be established through: (A) Audio-only communication; (B) Text-based communications such as e-mail, internet questionnaires, text-based messaging or other written forms of communication; or (C) Any combination thereof. (2) If an existing physician-patient relationship is not present prior to the utilization to telemedicine technologies, or if services are rendered solely through telemedicine technologies, a physician-patient relationship may only be established: (A) Through the use of telemedicine technologies which incorporate interactive audio using store and forward technology, real-time videoconferencing or similar secure video services during the initial physician-patient encounter; or (B) For the practice of pathology and radiology, a physician-patient relationship may be established through store and forward telemedicine or other similar technologies. (3) Once a physician-patient relationship has been established, either through an in-person encounter or in accordance with subsection (c)(2) of this section, the physician may utilize any telemedicine technology that meets the standard of care and is appropriate for the particular patient presentation. (d) Telemedicine Practice. A physician using telemedicine technologies to practice medicine shall: (1) Verify the identity and location of the patient; (2) Provide the patient with confirmation of the identity and qualifications of the physician; (3) Provide the patient with the physical location and contact information of the physician; (4) Establish or maintain a physician-patient relationship which conforms to the standard of care; (5) Determine whether telemedicine technologies are appropriate for the particular patient presentation for which the practice of medicine is to be rendered; (6) Obtain from the patient appropriate consent for the use of telemedicine technologies; (7) Conduct all appropriate evaluations and history of the patient consistent with traditional standards of care for the particular patient presentation; and (8) Create and maintain healthcare records for the patient which justify the course of treatment and which verify compliance with the requirements of this section. (9) The requirements of subdivisions (1) through (7) of subsection (d) in this section do not apply to the practice of pathology or radiology medicine through store and forward telemedicine. (e) Standard of Care. The practice of medicine provided via telemedicine technologies, including the establishment of a physician-patient relationship and issuing a prescription via electronic means as part of a telemedicine encounter, are subject to the same standard of care, professional practice requirements and scope of practice limitations as traditional in-person physician-patient encounters. Treatment, including issuing a prescription, based solely on an online questionnaire does not constitute an acceptable standard of care. (f) Patient Records. The patient record established during the use of telemedicine technologies shall be accessible and documented for both the physician and the patient, consistent with the laws and legislative rules governing patient healthcare records. All laws governing the confidentiality of healthcare information and governing patient access to medical records shall apply to records of practice of medicine provided through telemedicine technologies. A physician solely providing services using telemedicine technologies shall make documentation of the encounter easily available to the patient, and subject to the patient's consent, to any identified care provider of the patient. (g) Prescribing Limitations. (1) A physician who practices medicine to a patient solely through the utilization of telemedicine technologies may not prescribe to that patient any controlled substances listed in Schedule II of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. (2) A physician may not prescribe any pain-relieving controlled substance listed in Schedules II through V of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act as part of a course of treatment for chronic nonmalignant pain solely based upon a telemedicine encounter. (h) Exceptions. This section does not prohibit the use of audio-only or text-based communications by a physician who is: (1) Responding to call for patients with whom a physician-patient relationship has been established through an in-person encounter by the physician; (2) Providing cross coverage for a physician who has established a physician-patient or relationship with the patient through an in-person encounter; or (3) Providing medical assistance in the event of an emergency situation. (i) Rulemaking. The West Virginia Board of Medicine and West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine may propose joint rules for legislative approval in accordance with article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to implement standards for and limitations upon the utilization of telemedicine technologies in the practice of medicine in this state. (j) Preservation of the Traditional Physician-Patient Relationship. Nothing in this section changes the rights, duties, privileges, responsibilities and liabilities incident to the physician-patient relationship, nor is it meant or intended to change in any way the personal character of the physician-patient relationship. This section does not alter the scope of practice of any healthcare provider or authorize the delivery of healthcare services in a setting, or in a manner, not otherwise authorized by law. WVC 30 - 14 - 13 §30-14-13. Limitation of article. The practice of medicine and surgery by persons possessing
the degree of doctor of medicine and authorized by the laws of
this state to practice medicine and surgery shall in no way be
WVC 30 - 14 - 14 §30-14-14. Separability clause. The terms of this article are declared to be separable; and
should any word, phrase, sentence or section hereof be declared
WVC 30 - 14 - 15 §30-14-15. Repealing clause. All acts or parts of acts in conflict with this article are
hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.
WVC 30 - 14 - 16 §30-14-16.