Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 360-3-.05 - Medical Assistants, Polysomnography Technologists, and Radiology Technologists
(1) It
shall be grounds for disciplinary action by the Board if a physician aids or
abets another person in misrepresenting his/her credentials or engaging in
unlicensed practice. Engaging in unlicensed practice includes delegation by a
physician of professional responsibilities to a person who is not authorized to
provide such services. A physician may delegate the performance of certain
medical tasks to an unlicensed person with appropriate supervision as provided
herein.
(a) Medical Assistants
1. For purposes of this rule, a medical
assistant is an unlicensed person supervised by the physician to whom he or she
delegates certain medical tasks.
(i) A
physician may delegate to a medical assistant the following medical tasks:
subcutaneous and intramuscular injections; obtaining vital signs; administering
nebulizer treatments; or removing sutures and changing dressings.
(ii) Physicians or physician assistants under
basic job description and/or advanced practice nurses under protocol must be
on-site for a medical assistant to administer subcutaneous and intramuscular
injections, to administer nebulizer treatments, and to remove sutures and
change dressings. It is not required for a physician to be on-site for a
medical assistant to obtain vital signs.
(iii) Physician shall only allow medical
assistants to provide services for which they have been properly trained.
Physicians shall maintain accurate and complete records of professional
services rendered.
(iv) Nothing in
this rule prohibits the performance of tasks by medical assistants that would
not otherwise require a license.
(b) Polysomnography
1. Definitions
(i) "Polysomnography" means the treatment,
management, diagnostic testing, control, education, and care of patients with
sleep and wake disorders. Polysomnography includes, but is not limited to, the
process of analysis, monitoring, and recording of physiologic data during sleep
and wakefulness to assist in the treatment of disorders, syndromes, and
dysfunctions that are sleep related, manifest during sleep, or disrupt normal
sleep activities. Polysomnography also includes, but is not limited to, the
therapeutic and diagnostic use of low-flow oxygen, the use of positive airway
pressure including continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bi-level
modalities, adaptive servo-ventilation, and maintenance of nasal and oral
airways that do not extend into the trachea.
(ii) "Polysomnographic technologist" means
any person performing polysomnography services under the supervision of a
physician licensed under this article without the requirement that the
technologist is licensed.
(iii)
"Supervision" means that the supervising physician licensed under this article
shall remain available, either in person or through telephonic or electronic
means, at the time that polysomnography services are provided.
2. Delegation of Duties
(i) Physicians may delegate to a
polysomnography technologist to perform tasks to treat, manage, control,
educate, or care for patients with sleep or wake disorders or to provide
diagnostic testing for patients with suspected sleep or wake
disorders.
(ii) However, the
physician may not delegate tasks that constitute the practice of
medicine.
(c)
Radiologist Assistant
1. Radiologist Assistant
means an advanced level certified diagnostic radiologic technologist who
assists radiologists under levels of supervision in performing advanced
diagnostic imaging procedures including, but not limited to, enteral and
parenteral procedures when performed under the direction of the supervising
radiologist and may include injecting diagnostic agents to sites other than
intravenous, performing diagnostic aspirations and localizations, and assisting
radiologists with other invasive procedures.
(i) Supervision
(I) Radiology assistants shall be supervised
by a physician licensed under O.C.G.A.
43-34who has experience in
performing advanced diagnostic imaging procedures.
I. Exemptions or Limitations
2. This Code section is
for definitional purposes only and shall not be construed to require any duties
or obligations regarding radiology assistants that did not already exist as of
June 30, 2009.
Notes
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