ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
health professions;
definition
Updates
definitions relating to health care professions and expands the number of state
health regulatory agencies that can obtain confidential mental health patient
records for complaint investigations.
During
the past several years, the Legislature has adopted regulations for a number of
health care professions, including occupational therapists, respiratory care
practitioners and acupuncturists, increasing the number of regulated health
care professions in this state to 23.
Several statutory definitions relating to health care professions,
however, have not been updated to reflect all of the occupations currently
being regulated. S.B. 1144 updates
those definitions by including references to the following: behavioral health
professionals; occupational therapists, respiratory care practitioners,
acupuncturists and athletic trainers.
In
addition, A.R.S. §36-509 authorizes agencies regulating medical doctors,
nurses, osteopaths and psychologists to obtain confidential mental health
patient records for complaint investigations.
S.B. 1144 allows all health regulatory boards investigating complaints
of professional negligence, incompetence or lack of clinical judgment to obtain
these records.
There
is no cost to the state general fund relating to the provisions of this bill.
1. Updates definitions relating to health care professions by adding behavioral health professional, occupational therapy, respiratory care, acupuncture and athletic trainer.
2. Expands the number of state health regulatory agencies that can obtain confidential mental health patient records during complaint investigations.
3. Makes technical changes.
4. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
January 18, 2001