Posted: | April 14, 2021 09:09 AM |
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From: | Representative John A. Lawrence |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | COSPONSOR MEMO - Amending the Chiropractic Practice Act Regarding Delegation of Duties |
Colleagues – In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation to amend the Chiropractic Practice Act (Act 188 of 1986) to clarify requirements chiropractors must follow when delegating an activity or duty to in-office supportive personnel. As you may recall, Chairman Steve Barrar led this effort last session. Existing law authorizes chiropractors to delegate in-office activities to unlicensed supportive personnel, provided the activities or duties don’t require the knowledge or skill of a chiropractor and they are performed under direct on-premises supervision. However, the statute doesn’t define the term “direct on-premises supervision” or establish any standards for what activities or duties may be delegated. A recent court decision greatly limited the ability of chiropractors to delegate. The lack of clarity on the delegation issue has impacted patient care. This proposal will define “direct on-premises supervision”, prohibit any delegation unless the supportive personnel is qualified to perform the activity, and specifically authorize delegation of adjunctive procedures. The proposal contemplates establishing the role of Certified Chiropractic Assistant to handle specific duties to ensure clarity on roles and responsibilities. This proposal has the support of the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association. I would appreciate your support and cosponsorship. Previous Cosponsors: BARRAR, A. DAVIS, DeLUCA, EVERETT, JOZWIAK, KORTZ, McNEILL, O'MARA, SCHMITT, SIMMONS, TOOHIL, NELSON, SNYDER, SAINATO, SIMS, GILLEN, NEILSON, TOEPEL, POLINCHOCK, ROTHMAN, BERNSTINE, T. DAVIS, MEHAFFIE, DALEY, F. KELLER, SCHROEDER, LEWIS, MALAGARI, MARKOSEK, FLYNN, RAVENSTAHL, MULLINS, BROWN, RIGBY, RADER, MIZGORSKI, LAWRENCE and GLEIM |
Introduced as HB2267