THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY BROWNE, ORIE, PILEGGI, FONTANA, SMUCKER, ERICKSON, FOLMER, RAFFERTY, ALLOWAY, TARTAGLIONE, PIPPY, BOSCOLA, COSTA, BAKER, CORMAN, MENSCH, BRUBAKER, EARLL, WAUGH, VANCE AND WARD, FEBRUARY 17, 2011

REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, FEBRUARY 17, 2011  

AN ACT

Providing for use of volunteer time by health care professionals

in meeting continuing education requirements.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Volunteer

Continuing Medical Education Act.

Section 2.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Community-based health care clinic."  A nonprofit health

care center located in this Commonwealth that provides health

care services to low-income and uninsured individuals and meets

either of the following criteria:

(1)  serves a federally designated medically underserved

area, a medically underserved population or a health

professional shortage area; or

(2)  serves a patient population with a majority of that

population having an income less than 200% of the Federal

poverty income guidelines, including:

(i)  A federally qualified health center as defined

in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (49

Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. § 1396d(l)(2)(B)) or a federally

qualified health center look-alike.

(ii)  A rural health clinic as defined in section

1861(aa)(2) of the Social Security Act (49 Stat. 620, 42

U.S.C. § 1395x(aa)(2)), certified by Medicare.

(iii)  A hospital health clinic.

(iv)  A free or partial-pay health clinic that

provides services by volunteer and nonvolunteer health

care providers.

(v)  A nurse-managed health care clinic that is

managed by advanced practice nurses and is associated

with a department of nursing, a federally qualified

health center or an independent nonprofit health or

social services agency.

"Health care professional."  A physician, dentist, dental

hygienist, nurse, certified registered nurse practitioner

licensed, certified or registered with the respective licensing

board.

"Licensure board."  Includes the following departmental

administrative boards within the Department of State:

(1)  The State Board of Medicine.

(2)  The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.

(3)  The State Board of Dentistry.

(4)  The State Board of Nursing.

Section 3.  Volunteer continuing education.

Beginning with the licensure period commencing after the

effective date of this act and following written notice by the

appropriate licensure board, health care professionals shall be

permitted to apply volunteer time served in a community-based

health care clinic toward completion of no more than 20% of the

mandatory continuing education hours required by the appropriate

licensure board, except for continuing education required under

section 6 of the act of December 4, 1996 (P.L.893, No.141),

known as the Volunteer Health Services Act. Acceptable

documentation of volunteer hours shall be done in accordance

with policy established by each board. Policies shall be

effective upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Section 4.  Annual report.

The Department of State shall submit a report to the chair

and minority chair of the Public Health and Welfare Committee of

the Senate and the chair and minority chair of the Health

Committee and the chair and minority chair of the Human

Resources Committee of the House of Representatives detailing

the number of health care professionals who have indicated they

have applied volunteer hours served in a community-based health

care clinic, in their renewal application.

Section 20.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.