Washington Administrative Code › Title 246 - Health, Department of › PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND LICENSING › Chapter 246-853 - Osteopathic physicians and surgeons › Section 246-853-300 - Definitions used relative to substance abuse monitoring

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) "Approved
				substance abuse monitoring program" or "approved monitoring program" is a
				program the board has determined meets the requirements of the law and rules
				established by the board, according to the Washington Administrative Code,
				which enters into a contract with osteopathic practitioners who have substance
				abuse problems. The approved substance abuse monitoring program oversees
				compliance of the osteopathic practitioner's recovery activities as required by
				the board. Substance abuse monitoring programs may provide evaluation and/or
				treatment to participating osteopathic practitioners.
(2) "Impaired osteopathic practitioner" means
				an osteopathic physician and surgeon who is unable to practice osteopathic
				medicine and surgery with judgment, skill, competence, or safety due to
				chemical dependence, mental illness, the aging process, loss of motor skills,
				or any other mental or physical condition.
(3) "Contract" is a comprehensive, structured
				agreement between the recovering osteopathic practitioner and the approved
				monitoring program wherein the osteopathic practitioner consents to comply with
				the monitoring program and the required components for the osteopathic
				practitioner's recovery activity.
(4) "Approved treatment facility" is a
				facility approved by the bureau of alcohol and substance abuse, department of
				social and health services as specified in
				RCW
				18.130.175.
(5) "Chemical dependence/substance abuse"
				means a chronic progressive illness which involves the use of alcohol and/or
				other drugs to a degree that it interferes in the functional life of the
				registrant/licensee, as manifested by health, family, job (professional
				services), legal, financial, or emotional problems.
(6) "Drug" means a chemical substance alone
				or in combination, including alcohol.
(7) "Aftercare" means that period of time
				after intensive treatment that provides the osteopathic practitioner and the
				osteopathic practitioner's family with group, or individualized counseling
				sessions, discussions with other families, ongoing contact and participation in
				self-help groups, and ongoing continued support of treatment program
				staff.
(8) "Practitioner support
				group" is a group of osteopathic practitioners and/or other health care
				professionals meeting regularly to support the recovery of its members. The
				group provides a confidential setting with a trained and experienced
				facilitator in which participants may safely discuss drug diversion, licensure
				issues, return to work, and other professional issues related to
				recovery.
(9) "Twelve-step groups"
				are groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and similar
				organizations.
(10) "Random drug
				screens" are laboratory tests to detect the presence of drugs of abuse in body
				fluids which are performed at irregular intervals not known in advance by the
				person to be tested. The collection of the body fluids must be observed by a
				treatment or health care professional or other board or monitoring
				program-approved observer.
(11)
				"Recovering" means that a chemically dependent osteopathic practitioner is in
				compliance with a treatment plan of rehabilitation in accordance with criteria
				established by an approved treatment facility and an approved substance abuse
				monitoring program.
(12)
				"Rehabilitation" means the process of restoring a chemically dependent
				osteopathic practitioner to a level of professional performance consistent with
				public health and safety.
(13)
				"Reinstatement" means the process whereby a recovering os-teopathic
				practitioner is permitted to resume the practice of osteo-pathic medicine and
				surgery.
Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					 18.57.005 and
					 18.130.175. 91-10-043 (Order
					 159B), § 246-853-300, filed 4/25/91, effective
					 5/26/91.