CERTIFIED SURGICAL TECHNOLOGISTS

AND SURGICAL FIRST ASSISTANTS

House Bill 4403

Sponsor:  Rep. Howard Walker

Committee:  Health Policy

Complete to 3-14-05

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4403 AS INTRODUCED 2-24-05

House Bill 4403 would amend the Public Health Code (MCL 333.16215) to allow, under certain conditions, physicians to delegate certain acts, tasks, or functions to certified surgical technologists, or to certified surgical first assistants.

Currently under the law, physicians (both allopathic and osteopathic) are allowed to delegate an act, task, or function to an individual who is not licensed as a physician, if the unlicensed person is supervised by a physician who is physically present.  Those to whom delegation is possible under the law include 1) students enrolled in a school of medicine (approved by either the Michigan Board of Medicine, or the Michigan Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery); and 2) students enrolled in an approved physician's assistant training program.  House Bill 4403 would retain these provisions, but extend them.

Under the bill, physicians also could delegate acts, tasks, or functions to an individual who had successfully completed an accredited education program in surgical technology or surgical first assisting.  The surgical technologist would have to be certified by the Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist, and the surgical first assistant would have to be certified by the National Surgical Assistance Association, the Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist, or by the American Board of Surgical Assisting.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill's fiscal impact on the State of Michigan as a payor of health services for Medicaid participants and for employees is not known.  Use of a surgical technologist may provide cost savings over use of a higher paid health care professional for a given task in the surgical setting; however, the opportunity for savings is moderated by the necessity for the licensed physician delegating the task to directly supervise the performance of the task.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Susan Frey

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.