S 0125 General Bill, By Moore, Elliott and Ford
 A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 47, TITLE 40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976 BY
 ADDING ARTICLE 10, RELATED TO REGISTERED CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALISTS,
 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALISTS REGISTERED BY
 CARDIOVASCULAR CREDENTIALING INTERNATIONAL MAY PERFORM BASELINE PATIENT
 ASSESSMENT, EVALUATE PATIENT RESPONSE TO DIAGNOSTIC OR INTERVENTIONAL
 MANEUVERS AND MEDICATIONS DURING CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION LABORATORY
 PROCEDURES, PROVIDE PATIENT CARE AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION COMMONLY USED IN THE
 CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION LABORATORY UNDER THE DIRECTION OF A QUALIFIED
 PHYSICIAN, ACT AS THE FIRST ASSISTANT DURING DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC
 CATHETERIZATION PROCEDURES, AND ASSIST IN ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT
 PROCEDURES WHEN ACTING UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A CARDIOLOGIST; TO PROVIDE
 THAT THE CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALIST MAY NOT PRESCRIBE DRUGS; TO
 PROVIDE FOR THE PROPER IDENTIFICATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALISTS;
 AND TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO
 PROMULGATE REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THIS ARTICLE.

   12/15/04  Senate Prefiled
   12/15/04  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
   01/11/05  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-144
   01/11/05  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs SJ-144

TO AMEND CHAPTER 47, TITLE 40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976 BY ADDING ARTICLE 10, RELATED TO REGISTERED CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALISTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALISTS REGISTERED BY CARDIOVASCULAR CREDENTIALING INTERNATIONAL MAY PERFORM BASELINE PATIENT ASSESSMENT, EVALUATE PATIENT RESPONSE TO DIAGNOSTIC OR INTERVENTIONAL MANEUVERS AND MEDICATIONS DURING CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION LABORATORY PROCEDURES, PROVIDE PATIENT CARE AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION COMMONLY USED IN THE CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION LABORATORY UNDER THE DIRECTION OF A QUALIFIED PHYSICIAN, ACT AS THE FIRST ASSISTANT DURING DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC CATHETERIZATION PROCEDURES, AND ASSIST IN ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT PROCEDURES WHEN ACTING UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A CARDIOLOGIST; TO PROVIDE THAT THE CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALIST MAY NOT PRESCRIBE DRUGS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROPER IDENTIFICATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALISTS; AND TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THIS ARTICLE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Chapter 47, Title 40 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 10

Section 40-47-1505.    This article may be cited as the "South Carolina Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist Act".

Section 40-47-1510.    As used in this article:

(1)    'Cardiologist' means a physician who has successfully completed an approved cardiology training program including, but not limited to, a program approved by the Accreditation Committee on Graduate Medical Education, or its equivalent or successor.

(2)    'Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist' means a cardiovascular invasive specialist who is currently registered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International, has graduated from an accredited program of Cardiovascular Invasive Technology, and who, working under the direct supervision of a cardiologist, performs procedures on patients resulting in accurate diagnosis or optimal treatment, or both, of congenital or acquired heart disease.

(3)    'Supervising cardiologist' means a physician licensed in this State currently possessing an active, unrestricted license to practice medicine in this State who practices in the medical specialty of cardiology and has successfully completed a residency in cardiology, approved by the Accreditation Committee on Graduate Medical Education, or its equivalent or successor.

(4)    'Supervision' means medically directing and accepting responsibility for the cardiac services rendered by a registered cardiovascular invasive specialist in a manner provided for in law and the adopted protocol of the licensed hospital. The supervising cardiologist must be in the hospital and in the operative area such that he can be immediately available to participate directly in the care of the patient with whom the invasive cardiovascular specialist and the cardiologist are jointly involved.

Section 40-47-1520.    Cardiovascular invasive specialists may perform medical tasks and services within the framework of a hospital's written practice protocol developed for the cardiovascular invasive specialist. Within this practice protocol the registered cardiovascular invasive specialist, under the supervision of a cardiologist may engage in these functions and duties:

(1) perform baseline patient assessment;

(2)    evaluate patient response to diagnostic or interventional maneuvers and medications during cardiac catheterization laboratory procedures;

(3)    provide patient care and drug administration commonly used in the cardiac catheterization laboratory under the direction of a qualified physician;

(4)    act as the first assistant during diagnostic and therapeutic catheterization procedures; and

(5)    assist in advanced cardiac life support procedures.

Section 40-47-1530.    A cardiovascular invasive specialist shall practice only under the supervision of a physician who is actively and directly engaged in the clinical practice of medicine as a cardiologist. A cardiologist may not supervise more than two registered cardiovascular invasive specialists at any one time.

Section 40-47-1540.    A cardiovascular invasive specialist practicing at all sites shall practice pursuant to written scope of the hospital's practice protocols signed by all supervising cardiologists and the cardiovascular invasive specialists. Copies of the protocols must be on file at all practice sites. The protocols must include at a minimum the:

(1)    name, license number, and practice addresses of the supervising cardiologists;

(2)    name and practice address of the cardiovascular invasive specialists;

(3)    date the protocol was developed and dates it was reviewed or amended;

(4)    situations that require direct evaluation by or immediate referral to a cardiologist.

Section 40-47-1550.    A cardiovascular invasive specialist may not:

(1)    perform a task which has not been listed and approved on the scope of the practice protocol currently on file with the hospital;

(2)    prescribe drugs, medications, or devices of any kind.

Section 40-47-1560.    A cardiovascular invasive specialist must clearly identify himself or herself to ensure that the cardiovascular invasive specialist is not mistaken or misrepresented as a physician. A cardiovascular invasive specialist must wear a clearly legible identification badge or other adornment at least one inch by three inches in size bearing the cardiovascular invasive specialist's name and the words "Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist". Patients in hospitals utilizing cardiovascular invasive specialists must be informed when a cardiovascular invasive specialist will be involved in their cardiac care.

Section 40-47-1570.    The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall promulgate regulations necessary to ensure implementation of this article."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.