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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY COSTA, BROWNE, BLAKE, FONTANA, RAFFERTY, SCHWANK, SOLOBAY, YUDICHAK, LEACH, ORIE AND FARNESE, APRIL 18, 2012 |
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| REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, APRIL 18, 2012 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13), entitled |
2 | "An act reforming the law on medical professional liability; |
3 | providing for patient safety and reporting; establishing the |
4 | Patient Safety Authority and the Patient Safety Trust Fund; |
5 | abrogating regulations; providing for medical professional |
6 | liability informed consent, damages, expert qualifications, |
7 | limitations of actions and medical records; establishing the |
8 | Interbranch Commission on Venue; providing for medical |
9 | professional liability insurance; establishing the Medical |
10 | Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund; providing for |
11 | medical professional liability claims; establishing the Joint |
12 | Underwriting Association; regulating medical professional |
13 | liability insurance; providing for medical licensure |
14 | regulation; providing for administration; imposing penalties; |
15 | and making repeals," further providing for continuing medical |
16 | education. |
17 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
18 | hereby enacts as follows: |
19 | Section 1. Section 910 of the act of March 20, 2002 |
20 | (P.L.154, No.13), known as the Medical Care Availability and |
21 | Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act, is amended by adding a |
22 | subsection to read: |
23 | Section 910. Continuing medical education. |
24 | * * * |
25 | (b.1) Additional medical education.-- |
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1 | (1) As part of the 100 hours of mandatory continuing |
2 | education required of individuals licensed to practice |
3 | medicine and surgery, 12 hours shall be in the subjects of |
4 | palliative care and the treatment of terminally ill and dying |
5 | patients, including: |
6 | (i) Management of pain and other symptoms such as |
7 | nausea, insomnia, shortness of breath, delirium and loss |
8 | of appetite. |
9 | (ii) Communication with seriously ill patients. |
10 | (iii) Assessment of prognosis in seriously or |
11 | chronically ill patients. |
12 | (iv) Advance planning and medical decision making. |
13 | (2) For the purpose of this subsection, the 12 hours of |
14 | continuing education shall be a one-time requirement. |
15 | Individuals licensed to practice medicine and surgery without |
16 | restriction shall complete the 12 hours of continuing |
17 | education during a biennial renewal cycle before December 31, |
18 | 2016. The licensure board may verify completion of this |
19 | requirement on the renewal form. |
20 | (3) As determined by the licensure board, individuals |
21 | licensed to practice medicine and surgery without restriction |
22 | may be exempt from the requirement in this subsection if the |
23 | licensee does not treat patients or provide patient |
24 | consultations. |
25 | (4) For a physician who routinely cares for children for |
26 | more than 15% of the physician's clinical volume, at least |
27 | four of the twelve credits shall address the specific |
28 | concerns of pediatric palliative care. |
29 | * * * |
30 | Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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