SB1350 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 05158 CEL 45205 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB1350

Introduced 2/8/2011, by Sen. Kyle McCarter

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 145/10
225 ILCS 145/15
225 ILCS 145/20

Amends the Truth in Health Care Professional Services Act. Provides that health care professionals and licensee as defined in the Truth in Health Care Professional Services Act applies to individuals who work in a hospital or in an ambulatory surgical treatment center as defined by the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Truth in Health Care Professional Services Act is amended by changing Sections 10, 15, and 20 as follows:

(225 ILCS 145/10)

Sec. 10. Definitions. For purposes of this Act:

"Advertisement" denotes any communication or statement, whether printed, electronic, or oral, that names the health care professional in relation to his or her practice, profession, or institution in which the individual is employed, volunteers, or otherwise provides health care services. This includes business cards, letterhead, patient brochures, e-mail, Internet, audio, and video, and any other communication or statement used in the course of business.

"Deceptive" or "misleading" includes, but is not limited to, any advertisement or affirmative communication or representation for health care services that misstates, falsely describes, or falsely represents the health care professional's skills, training, expertise, education, board certification, or licensure.

"Health care professional" means any person who treats human ailments and is subject to licensure or regulation by the State and who is employed or works in a hospital or in an ambulatory surgical treatment center as defined in the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act, including students and residents.

"Licensee" means a health care professional who holds an active license with the licensing board governing his or her practice in this State and is employed or works in a hospital or in an ambulatory surgical center as defined in the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-1340, eff. 7-27-10.)

(225 ILCS 145/15)

Sec. 15. Requirements.

(a) An advertisement for health care services must identify the type of license held by the health care professional advertising or providing services pursuant to the definitions, titles, and initials authorized under his or her licensing Act or examination designations required for licensure under his or her licensing Act. The advertisement shall be free from any and all deceptive or misleading information.

(b) A health care professional as defined in this Act who is providing health care services in this State must conspicuously post and affirmatively communicate the professional's specific licensure by doing the following:

(1) The health care professional shall wear a name tag during all patient encounters that clearly identifies the type of license held by the health care professional, unless precluded by adopted sterilization or isolation protocols. The name tag shall be of sufficient size and be worn in a conspicuous manner so as to be visible and apparent;

(2) If the health care professional has an office in which he or she sees current or prospective patients, then the health care professional shall display in his or her office a writing that clearly identifies the type of license held by the health care professional. The writing must be of sufficient size so as to be visible and apparent to all current and prospective patients; and

(3) The health care professional must only use the licensure titles or initials authorized by his or her licensing Act, examination designations required for licensure under his or her licensing Act, or the titles authorized by the professional licensing Act for students in training.

A health care professional who practices in more than one office shall comply with these requirements in each practice setting.

(c) Health care professionals as defined in this Act working in non-patient care settings, and who do not have any direct patient care interactions, are not subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section.

(d) Under this Section, a health care professional as defined in this Act who is a student or resident and does not have a state license shall only be required to wear a name tag that clearly identifies himself or herself by name and as a student or resident, as authorized by the professional licensing Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-1340, eff. 7-27-10.)

(225 ILCS 145/20)

Sec. 20. Violations and enforcement.

(a) Failure to comply with any provision under this Section shall constitute a violation under this Act.

(b) Each day this Act is violated shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such.

(c) Any health care professional as defined in this Act who violates any provision of this Act is guilty of unprofessional conduct and subject to disciplinary action under the appropriate provisions of the specific Act governing that health care profession.

(Source: P.A. 96-1340, eff. 7-27-10.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.