2014 -- S 2804

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LC005143

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS - OPTOMETRISTS

     

     Introduced By: Senator Frank A.Ciccone

     Date Introduced: March 25, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 5-35.1-1 and 5-35.1-12 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-35.1

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entitled "Optometrists" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     5-35.1-1. Definitions. -- As used in this chapter, the following terms are construed as

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follows:

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      (1) "Amplified optometrist" means an optometrist licensed in this state to practice

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optometry and authorized by the board to administer and prescribe pharmaceutical agents in the

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treatment of conditions of the human eye and its appendages, including anterior uveitis and

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glaucoma, without surgery or other invasive techniques, and in accordance with section §5-35.1-

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12 and all the requirements of this chapter.

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      (2) "Board" means the board of optometry established under the provisions of section

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§5-35.1-15 of the act.

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      (3) "Certified optometrist" means an optometrist licensed in this state to practice

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optometry and authorized by the board to administer and prescribe topical ocular pharmaceutical

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agents in the treatment of ocular conditions of the anterior segment of the human eye and its

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appendages (with the exception of uveitis and glaucoma) without surgery or other invasive

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techniques and in accordance with section §5-35.1-12 and all the requirements of this chapter.

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      (4) "Department" means the department of health.

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      (5) "Director" means the director of the department of health.

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      (6) "Optometrist" means a person licensed in this state to practice optometry pursuant to

 

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the provisions of this chapter.

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      (7) "Optometry" means the profession whose practitioners are engaged in the art and

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science of the evaluation of vision and the examination of vision and the examination and

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refraction of the human eye which that includes: the employment of any objective or subjective

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means for the examination of the human eye or its appendages; the measurement of the powers or

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range of human vision or the determination of the accommodative and refractive powers of the

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human eye or the scope of its functions in general and the adaptation of lenses, prisms, and/or

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frames for the aid of these; the prescribing, directing the use of, or administering ocular exercises,

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visual training, vision training, or orthotics, and the use of any optical device in connection with

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these; the prescribing of contact lenses for, or the fitting or adaptation of contact lenses to, the

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human eye; the examination or diagnosis of the human eye to ascertain the presence of abnormal

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conditions or functions; and the application of pharmaceutical agents to the eye, provided, that no

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optometrist licensed in this state shall perform any surgery for the purpose of detecting any

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diseased or pathological condition of the eye. With respect to presently licensed optometrists,

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only presently licensed optometrists who:

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      (1) Have satisfactorily completed a course in pharmacology, as it applies to optometry, at

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an institution accredited by a regional, professional, or academic accreditation organization which

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is recognized by the nNational cCommission on aAccreditation, with particular emphasis on the

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application of drugs to the eye for the purposes of detecting any diseased or pathological

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condition of the eye; or the effects of any disease or pathological condition of the eye, approved

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by the board of examiners in optometry and the department; or

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      (2) (i) Have successfully passed all sections of the National Board of Examiners in

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Optometry (NBEO) examination; and

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      (ii) The treatment and management of ocular disease (TMOD) examination, shall be

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permitted to apply pharmaceutical agents to the eye for the purpose of detecting any diseased or

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pathological condition of the eye, or the effects of any disease or pathological condition of the

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eye.

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      (8) "Pharmaceutical agents" means any medications as determined by the department,

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except those specified in schedules I and II as provided in chapter 21-28 of title 21.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, hydrocodone-containing medications shall be included as a

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pharmaceutical agent for the purposes of this chapter.

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     5-35.1-12. Use and prescription of pharmaceutical agents for ocular conditions --

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Optometrists training and certification. -- (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter,

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amplified optometrists of this state may use and prescribe pharmaceutical agents in the treatment

 

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of conditions of the human eye and its appendages, without the use of surgery or other invasive

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techniques; provided, that all qualified optometrists, shall be permitted to become amplified

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optometrists in accordance with the requirements of section §5-35.1-12(c) and all other

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requirements of this chapter; and provided, further, that drugs contained in schedule III of chapter

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21-28 and hydrocodone-containing medications shall be prescribed for no more than seventy-two

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(72) hours and that; no optometrist shall deliver any medication by injection.

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      (b) The director shall issue regulations governing the prescribing of oral pharmaceutical

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agents, including oral steroids and schedule III narcotic and non-narcotic analgesics, within the

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scope of the optometrist's practice.

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      (c) To be newly licensed as an amplified optometrist, a qualified optometrist must meet

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the qualifications of section §5-35.1-2 and must provide evidence to the department that he or she

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has satisfactorily:

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      (1) Completed at least thirty (30) hours of clinical experience in the treatment of ocular

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disease with pharmaceutical agents, consistent with current graduate degree requirements for

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optometric education either within a four-(4) year (4) period immediately prior to the date of

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application or as otherwise determined by the board; and

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      (2) Completed a course in pharmacology, as it applies to optometry, at an approved

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institution accredited by a regional, professional, or academic accreditation organization.

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      Further, to maintain amplified optometrist licensure status, all amplified optometrists

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must submit, upon request, evidence of an average of at least five (5) hours of continuing

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education in pharmacology per year.

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      (d) The director, before issuing the regulations, shall request and consider

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recommendations that may be submitted by the board of optometry.

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      (e) The board shall require optometrists to adhere to electronic prescribing standards

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within thirty (30) months of receiving prescriptive authority as defined in subsection §5-35.1-

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12(a).

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS - OPTOMETRISTS

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     This act would allow optometrists to prescribe hydrocodone-containing medications

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despite the classification of hydrocodone as a schedule II Substance. This act would also limit the

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prescription of hydrocodone-containing medications to no more than seventy-two hours.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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