PRINTER'S NO. 909
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
730
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY J. WARD, K. WARD, ARGALL, YAW, MENSCH, STREET AND
KILLION, JUNE 7, 2019
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JUNE 7, 2019
AN ACT
Providing for certification of central service technicians;
imposing continuing education requirements on central service
technicians; and providing for duties of hospitals and
ambulatory surgical facilities and the Department of Health.
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 Central
Service Technician Certification 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:
"Ambulatory surgical facility." As defined in section 802.1
of the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the
Health Care Facilities Act.
"Central service technician." A person who provides the
services of inspecting, assembling, decontamination,
preparation, packaging and sterilization of reusable medical
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instruments or devices in a hospital or an ambulatory surgical
facility.
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Health care practitioner." As defined in section 103 of
the Health Care Facilities Act.
"Hospital." As defined in section 802.1 of the Health Care
Facilities Act.
Section 3. Certification.
(a) A person shall not function as a central service
technician in a health care facility and a health care facility
shall not employ or otherwise contract for the services of a
central service technician unless the person has successfully
passed a nationally accredited central service exam for central
service technicians and holds and maintains one of the following
credentials:
(1) Certified registered central service technician
credential.
(2) Certified sterile processing and distribution
technician credential.
(b) Exemption.--The certification requirement under
subsection (a) shall not apply to a person who has been employed
or otherwise contracted for services as a central service
technician in a hospital or ambulatory surgical facility on or
before the effective date of this section.
Section 4. Employment and continuing education.
(a) New employees.--A central service technician who does
not meet the requirements under section 3 shall have 18 months
from the date of hire to comply with section 3.
(b) Continuing education.--A person who qualifies to
function as a central service technician in a hospital or an
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ambulatory surgical facility under section 3 shall annually
complete 10 hours of continuing education to remain qualified as
a central service technician. The continuing education required
under this subsection shall be in areas related to the functions
of a central service technician.
(c) Facility responsibility.--
(1) A hospital or ambulatory surgical facility shall
maintain documentation to verify that a person meets the
certification requirements under section 3(a).
(2) If a person does not meet the certification
requirements under section 3(a), a hospital or ambulatory
surgical facility shall maintain documentation of a central
service technician's dates of employment or the contract
period when the central service technician provided services
to the hospital or ambulatory surgical facility to verify
that the central service technician meets the exemption
requirements under section 3(b).
Section 5. Scope of practice.
Nothing in this act may be construed to prohibit any of the
following persons from performing the tasks or functions of a
central service technician:
(1) A health care practitioner.
(2) A dental assistant or an individual who is licensed
or registered under the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.216, No.76),
known as The Dental Law.
(3) A student or intern performing the functions of a
central service technician under the direct supervision of a
health care practitioner as part of the student's or intern's
training or internship.
(4) A person who holds and maintains a registration,
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certification or license to perform health care services by a
nationally accredited credentialing organization.
Section 6. Departmental duties.
The department shall administer the provisions of this act
and promulgate and adopt regulations as may be necessary to
implement this act.
Section 7. Effective date.
This act shall take effect January 1, 2020.
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