From the Statehouse 2008 No. 29
by Jennifer Garrison
Aug. 22, 2008
From the Statehouse - August 22, 2008
New technology and new research means the field of medicine changes virtually every day, and the Ohio General Assembly needs to respond in the best interests of patients and practitioners. The Ohio House of Representatives recently passed three bills designed to strengthen the standards for medical professionals in Ohio, while eliminating barriers that would keep them from practicing in our state.
Ohio is suffering from a shortage of radiologists and radiologist assistants (RAs), despite an increasing demand for their services. In order to reverse this trend, and keep those in the field practicing in our state, Senate Bill 229 creates licensing requirements for RAs and allows them to work under the supervision of radiologists. This bill requires RAs to have a Bachelor’s degree, as Ohio joins more than a dozen other states with a formal licensing procedure.
SB 229 passed out of the House by an overwhelming majority, including my “yes” vote. The bill was signed by Governor Strickland and takes effect September 11, 2008.
We have also established standards for acupuncturists, and authorized the State Medical Board to enforce laws related to the practice. Acupuncturists will be permitted to perform on a client without receiving a referral or prescription from the patient’s physician or chiropractor, but must confirm that the patient has been examined by a physician in the past six months. Senate Bill 245 also requires acupuncturists to have a minimum of $500,000 in professional liability insurance coverage.
As alternative forms of medical treatment continue to grow in popularity, it is important that these specialists have uniform standards of qualifications and level of care. For these reasons I supported SB 245 with my “yes” vote and it passed out of the House. The bill was signed by Governor Strickland and took effect August 22, 2008.
The Ohio House also recently took a major step to update rules for psychologists. Current law mandates that half the required hours of supervised training be completed after obtaining a doctoral degree. Amended House Bill 503, bipartisanly introduced by Representatives Tom Letson and Jon Peterson, allows, but does not require, that all of the training can be completed before getting the degree.
Current law reflects standards implemented 25 years ago. Then, a psychology graduate student completed far fewer hours of supervised clinical training prior to their graduation than they do today. Also, the American Psychological Association recommends the completion of required training prior to the awarding of a doctoral degree. The provisions included in HB 503 update the law to reflect these current practices.
Additionally, it is important to recognize that limited government resources available for mental health as well as the impact of managed care organizations have vastly reduced the number of postdoctoral training opportunities for doctoral psychology graduates, creating significant access barriers for needed mental health treatment.
Therefore, HB 503 will provide Ohio residents increased access to needed mental health treatment. It will also create incentives for psychologists to work in rural, underserved areas of the state with incentives like federal loan repayment grants and the willingness of health insurance companies to obtain more licensed providers in underserved areas.
HB 503 will not reduce the amount of supervised training required (3,600 hours), nor change the standards for the safe practice of professional psychology.
I joined my colleagues in supporting HB 503 with my “yes” vote as it passed out of the House. The bill now awaits action in the Senate.
You can reach Jennifer Garrison at her Columbus office at (614) 644-8728, in the district at 373-2414 or by e-mail at jennifer@jennifergarrison.com. Her website is Riffe Center | 77 South High Street | Columbus Ohio 43215-6111 | (800) 282-0253 | District93@ohr.state.oh.us
Web Site Design | FireBox Studios