PRINTER'S NO. 1270
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
985
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY GINGRICH, BOBACK, KAUFFMAN, SAYLOR, COHEN, MURT
AND M. K. KELLER, APRIL 20, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, APRIL 20, 2015
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. This term does not include a dental assistant or an
individual who is licensed or regulated under the act of May 1,
1933 (P.L.216, No.76), known as The Dental Law.
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Health care practitioner." As defined in section 103 of the
act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care
Facilities Act.
"Hospital." 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.
Section 3. Certification.
(a) Certification.--No person shall function as a central
service technician and no hospital or ambulatory surgical
facility shall employ or otherwise contract for the services of
a central service technician, unless the person has successfully
passed a nationally accredited central service examination for
central service technicians and holds and maintains a central
service technician certification 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 for two
consecutive years occurring within the five years immediately
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
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function as a central service technician in a hospital or an
ambulatory surgical facility 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. Health care practitioners.
Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit a health
care practitioner from performing the tasks or functions of a
central service technician if the tasks or functions are within
the scope of practice of the health care practitioner.
Section 6. Departmental duties.
The department shall administer the provisions of this act
and promulgate and adopt such regulations as may be necessary to
implement this act.
Section 7. Effective date.
This act shall take effect January 1, 2016.
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