PRINTER'S NO. 4234
No. 2727 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY KILLION, BENNINGHOFF, ADOLPH, BRENNAN, CREIGHTON, DeLUCA, J. EVANS, GEORGE, GINGRICH, HARHART, HENNESSEY, MAHONEY, MANN, MARSICO, MENSCH, MOUL, MUNDY, MYERS, RAPP, ROCK, SAYLOR, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, SONNEY, SWANGER, THOMAS, WATSON AND YOUNGBLOOD, AUGUST 5, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, AUGUST 5, 2008
AN ACT 1 Providing for identification badge for licensed health care 2 practitioner and for penalties. 3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 4 hereby enacts as follows: 5 Section 1. Short title. 6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Health Care 7 Practitioner Identification Badge Act. 8 Section 2. Purpose. 9 It is the purpose of this act to provide a uniform standard 10 in health care settings by which patients can be apprised of the 11 identity and licensure credentials of individuals who provide 12 health care services to them. 13 Section 3. Definitions. 14 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 15 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 16 context clearly indicates otherwise:
1 "Board." The State Board of Medicine, the State Board of 2 Osteopathic Medicine, the State Board of Dentistry, the State 3 Board of Podiatry, the State Board of Nursing, the State Board 4 of Optometry, the State Board of Chiropractic, the State Board 5 of Physical Therapy, the State Board of Pharmacy, the State 6 Board of Psychology, the State Board of Examiners in Speech- 7 Language and Hearing, the State Board of Occupational Therapy 8 Education and Licensure and the State Board of Social Workers, 9 Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors. 10 "Bureau." The Bureau of Professional and Occupational 11 Affairs within the Department of State. 12 "Health care practitioner." An individual who is authorized 13 to practice a component of the healing arts by a license, 14 permit, certificate or registration issued by a licensing board 15 within the Department of State. 16 Section 4. Identification badge required. 17 (a) Requirement.--When treating a patient, working in a 18 health care facility or when engaged in face-to-face contact 19 with the public in a professional capacity, a health care 20 practitioner shall wear an identification badge displaying the 21 practitioner's name and photograph and the license, 22 certification or registration held by the practitioner. 23 (b) Type of badge.--The identification badge shall be 24 designed in accordance with the standards set forth under 25 section 5. 26 Section 5. Standards. 27 Badges must comply with the following standards: 28 (1) The overall size of the badge shall be at least 29 three and one-fourth inches by two inches. 30 (2) A photograph of the practitioner shall be on the 20080H2727B4234 - 2 -
1 badge and shall be at least one and one-fourth inches by one 2 and one-fourth inches in size. 3 (3) The name and degree of the practitioner shall be in 4 12-point bold-face type. 5 (4) The professional license, certification or 6 registration designation of the practitioner shall be in 18- 7 point type and shall occupy a one-half inch wide strip along 8 the bottom edge of the badge. 9 Section 6. Issuance. 10 The board shall issue two identification badges required 11 under this act to a practitioner upon the issuance of an 12 original or renewed professional license, certificate or 13 registration to a practitioner. 14 Section 7. Exceptions. 15 (a) General exceptions.--A health care practitioner shall 16 not be required to wear an identification badge while engaged in 17 procedures requiring full sterile dress or procedures requiring 18 other protective clothing or covering. Identification of the 19 practitioner may be limited to first name only and professional 20 designation when full name identification may place the personal 21 safety of the practitioner in jeopardy or interfere with the 22 therapeutic relationship between the practitioner and a patient. 23 (b) Other exceptions.--The bureau may designate additional 24 exceptions consistent with paragraph (a). 25 Section 8. Alternative identification badges. 26 A hospital, nursing home, pharmacy, physician practice or 27 other health care facility may issue an identification badge to 28 a practitioner practicing in that facility, which may be worn in 29 lieu of the identification badge required under this act if: 30 (1) the badge comports with the standards set forth 20080H2727B4234 - 3 -
1 under section 5; and 2 (2) approval is granted by the bureau. 3 Section 9. Violation. 4 A violation of this act is a ground for disciplinary action 5 against the health care practitioner by the practitioner's 6 licensing board or other regulatory authority. 7 Section 10. Effective date. 8 This act shall take effect in 60 days. E13L35JS/20080H2727B4234 - 4 -