Governor Perdue Signs HB 509, Medical Practice Act
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Governor Sonny Perdue signed HB 509 on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, finalizing the first major overhaul of the Medical Practice Act since the Board became an independent agency in 1999.
Among the significant changes to Title 43, Chapter 34, HB 509:
- Increases the number of board members from 13 to 15, with one of the new members being an additional consumer member.
- Changes the agency’s name to “Georgia Composite Medical Board.”
- Gives the Board authority to order mental and physical examinations for all license groups, rather than only for physicians.
- Adds language to allow medical assistants to give injections.
- Adds language to permit physicians to delegate certain tasks to polysomnographic technicians.
- Updates the language and definitions associated with physician assistants, physician assistant job descriptions, and physician assistants’ supervising physicians.
- Eliminates the 18-month temporary respiratory care professional permit.
- Authorizes physician assistants and nurse practitioners to pronounce death.
LaSharn Hughes, executive director of the Georgia Composite Medical Board, expressed the agency’s pleasure at the Governor’s signing of the bill. “With his signature, Governor Perdue has given the Board the ability to move forward in regulating the modern practice of medicine,” she said. “The bill also gives
Ms. Hughes also noted that many of the Board’s rules would be amended over the near future to align them with the new law. “As we have always done, we will solicit the input of the professional community and the public at large,” she said, adding that the updated rules, as well as the new law, would be posted on the Board’s website at www.medicalboard.georgia.gov as soon as they were ready.
To view the bill as signed by Governor Perdue, click here: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/pdf/hb509.pdf.
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