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AB-1570 Optometry: certification to perform advanced procedures.(2023-2024)



Current Version: 01/03/24 - Amended Assembly

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AB1570:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  January 03, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1570

Introduced by Assembly Member Low

February 17, 2023

An act to amend Section 3041 of, and to add Section 3041.4 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1570, as amended, Low. Optometry: certification to perform advanced procedures.
Existing law, the Optometry Practice Act, establishes the State Board of Optometry in the Department of Consumer Affairs for the licensure and regulation of the practice of optometry. Existing law makes a violation of the act a misdemeanor. Existing law excludes certain classes of agents from the practice of optometry unless they have an explicit United States Food and Drug Administration-approved indication, as specified.
This bill would add neuromuscular blockers to the list of excluded classes of agents. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law requires an optometrist who holds a therapeutic pharmaceutical agents certification and meets specified requirements to be certified to medically treat authorized glaucomas.
This bill would authorize an optometrist certified to treat glaucoma to obtain certification to perform specified advanced procedures in a patient 18 years of age or older if the optometrist meets certain education, training, examination, and other requirements, as specified. By requiring optometrists, qualified educators, and course administrators to certify or attest specified information relating to advanced procedure competency, thus expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the board to set a fee for the issuance and renewal of the certificate authorizing the use of advanced procedures, which would be deposited in the Optometry Fund. The bill would require an optometrist who performs advanced procedures pursuant to these provisions to report certain information to the board, including any adverse treatment outcomes that required a referral to or consultation with another health care provider. The bill would require the board to compile a report summarizing the data collected and make the report available on the board’s internet website.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 3041 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

3041.
 (a) The practice of optometry includes the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and management of disorders and dysfunctions of the visual system, as authorized by this chapter, as well as the provision of habilitative or rehabilitative optometric services, and is the doing of any or all of the following:
(1) The examination of the human eyes and their adnexa, including through the use of all topical and oral diagnostic pharmaceutical agents that are not controlled substances, and the analysis of the human vision system, either subjectively or objectively.
(2) The determination of the powers or range of human vision and the accommodative and refractive states of the human eyes, including the scope of their functions and general condition.
(3) The prescribing, using, or directing the use of any optical device in connection with ocular exercises, visual training, vision training, or orthoptics.
(4) The prescribing, fitting, or adaptation of contact and spectacle lenses to, the human eyes, including lenses that may be classified as drugs or devices by any law of the United States or of this state, and diagnostic or therapeutic contact lenses that incorporate a medication or therapy the optometrist is certified to prescribe or provide.
(5) For an optometrist certified pursuant to Section 3041.3, diagnosing and preventing conditions and diseases of the human eyes and their adnexa, and treating nonmalignant conditions and diseases of the anterior segment of the human eyes and their adnexa, including ametropia and presbyopia:
(A) Using or prescribing, including for rational off-label purposes, topical and oral prescription and nonprescription therapeutic pharmaceutical agents that are not controlled substances and are not antiglaucoma agents or limited or excluded by subdivision (b). For purposes of this section, “controlled substance” has the same meaning as used in the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 11000) of the Health and Safety Code) and the United States Uniform Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 801 et seq.).
(B) Prescribing the oral analgesic controlled substance codeine with compounds, hydrocodone with compounds, and tramadol as listed in the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 11000) of the Health and Safety Code) and the United States Uniform Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 801 et seq.), limited to three days, with referral to an ophthalmologist if the pain persists.
(C) If also certified under subdivision (c), using or prescribing topical and oral antiglaucoma agents for the medical treatment of all primary open-angle, exfoliation, pigmentary, and steroid-induced glaucomas in persons 18 years of age or over. In the case of steroid-induced glaucoma, the prescriber of the steroid medication shall be promptly notified if the prescriber did not refer the patient to the optometrist for treatment.
(D) If also certified under subdivision (d), independent initiation and administration of immunizations for influenza, herpes zoster virus, pneumococcus, and SARS-CoV-2 in compliance with individual Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) vaccine recommendations published by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in persons 18 years of age or over.
(E) Utilizing the following techniques and instrumentation necessary for the diagnosis of conditions and diseases of the eye and adnexa:
(i) Laboratory tests or examinations ordered from an outside facility.
(ii) Laboratory tests or examinations performed in a laboratory with a certificate of waiver under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) (Public Law 100-578) (42 U.S.C. Sec. 263a), which shall also be allowed for:
(I) Detecting indicators of possible systemic disease that manifests in the eye for the purpose of facilitating appropriate referral to or consultation with a physician and surgeon.
(II) Detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus.
(iii) Skin testing performed in an office to diagnose ocular allergies, limited to the superficial layer of the skin.
(iv) X-rays ordered from an outside facility.
(v) Other imaging studies ordered from an outside facility subject to prior consultation with an appropriate physician and surgeon.
(vi) Other imaging studies performed in an office, including those that utilize laser or ultrasound technology, but excluding those that utilize radiation.
(F) Performing the following procedures, which are excluded from restrictions imposed on the performance of surgery by paragraph (6) of subdivision (b), unless explicitly indicated:
(i) Corneal scraping with cultures.
(ii) Debridement of corneal epithelium not associated with band keratopathy.
(iii) Mechanical epilation.
(iv) Collection of blood by skin puncture or venipuncture for laboratory testing authorized by this subdivision.
(v) Suture removal subject to comanagement requirements in paragraph (7) of subdivision (b).
(vi) Treatment or removal of sebaceous cysts by expression.
(vii) Lacrimal punctal occlusion using plugs, or placement of a stent or similar device in a lacrimal canaliculus intended to deliver a medication the optometrist is certified to prescribe or provide.
(viii) Foreign body and staining removal from the cornea, eyelid, and conjunctiva with any appropriate instrument. Removal of corneal foreign bodies and any related stain shall, as relevant, be limited to that which is nonperforating, no deeper than the midstroma, and not reasonably anticipated to require surgical repair.
(ix) Lacrimal irrigation and dilation in patients 12 years of age or over, excluding probing of the nasolacrimal tract. The board shall certify any optometrist who graduated from an accredited school of optometry before May 1, 2000, to perform this procedure after submitting proof of satisfactory completion of 10 procedures under the supervision of an ophthalmologist as confirmed by the ophthalmologist. Any optometrist who graduated from an accredited school of optometry on or after May 1, 2000, shall be exempt from the certification requirement contained in this paragraph.
(x) Administration of oral fluorescein for the purpose of ocular angiography.
(xi) Intravenous injection for the purpose of performing ocular angiography at the direction of an ophthalmologist as part of an active treatment plan in a setting where a physician and surgeon is immediately available.
(xii) Use of noninvasive devices delivering intense pulsed light therapy or low-level light therapy that do not rely on laser technology, limited to treatment of conditions and diseases of the adnexa.
(xiii) Use of an intranasal stimulator in conjunction with treatment of dry eye syndrome.
(G) Using additional noninvasive medical devices or technology that:
(i) Have received a United States Food and Drug Administration-approved indication for the diagnosis or treatment of a condition or disease authorized by this chapter. A licensee shall successfully complete any clinical training imposed by a related manufacturer prior to using any of those noninvasive medical devices or technologies.
(ii) Have been approved by the board through regulation for the rational treatment of a condition or disease authorized by this chapter. Any regulation under this paragraph shall require a licensee to successfully complete an appropriate amount of clinical training to qualify to use each noninvasive medical device or technology approved by the board pursuant to this paragraph.
(b) Exceptions or limitations to the provisions of subdivision (a) are as follows:
(1) Treatment of the following is excluded from the practice of optometry in a patient under 18 years of age, unless explicitly allowed otherwise:
(A) Anterior segment inflammation, which shall not exclude treatment of:
(i) The conjunctiva.
(ii) Nonmalignant ocular surface disease, including dry eye syndrome.
(iii) Contact lens-related inflammation of the cornea.
(iv) An infection of the cornea.
(B) Conditions or diseases of the sclera.
(2) Use of any oral prescription steroid anti-inflammatory medication for a patient under 18 years of age shall be done pursuant to a documented, timely consultation with an appropriate physician and surgeon.
(3) Use of any nonantibiotic oral prescription medication for a patient under five years of age shall be done pursuant to a documented, prior consultation with an appropriate physician and surgeon.
(4) The following classes of agents are excluded from the practice of optometry unless they have an explicit United States Food and Drug Administration-approved indication for treatment of a condition or disease authorized under this section:
(A) Antiamoebics.
(B) Antineoplastics.
(C) Coagulation modulators.
(D) Hormone modulators.
(E) Immunomodulators.
(F) Neuromuscular blockers.
(5) The following are excluded from authorization under subparagraph (G) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a):
(A) A laboratory test or imaging study.
(B) Any noninvasive device or technology that constitutes surgery under paragraph (6).
(6) Performing surgery is excluded from the practice of optometry. “Surgery” means any act in which human tissue is cut, altered, or otherwise infiltrated by any means. It does not mean an act that solely involves the administration or prescribing of a topical or oral therapeutic pharmaceutical.
(7) (A) Treatment with topical and oral medications authorized in subdivision (a) related to an ocular surgery shall be comanaged with the ophthalmologist that performed the surgery, or another ophthalmologist designated by that surgeon, during the customary preoperative and postoperative period for the procedure. For purposes of this subparagraph, this may involve treatment of ocular inflammation in a patient under 18 years of age.
(B) Where published, the postoperative period shall be the “global” period established by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or, if not published, a reasonable period not to exceed 90 days.
(C) Such comanaged treatment may include addressing agreed-upon complications of the surgical procedure occurring in any ocular or adnexal structure with topical and oral medications authorized in subdivision (a). For patients under 18 years of age, this subparagraph shall not apply unless the patient’s primary care provider agrees to allowing comanagement of complications.
(c) An optometrist certified pursuant to Section 3041.3 shall be certified to medically treat authorized glaucomas under this chapter after meeting the following requirements:
(1) For licensees who graduated from an accredited school of optometry on or after May 1, 2008, submission of proof of graduation from that institution.
(2) For licensees who were certified to treat glaucoma under this section before January 1, 2009, submission of proof of completion of that certification program.
(3) For licensees who completed a didactic course of not less than 24 hours in the diagnosis, pharmacological, and other treatment and management of glaucoma, submission of proof of satisfactory completion of the case management requirements for certification established by the board.
(4) For licensees who graduated from an accredited school of optometry on or before May 1, 2008, and who are not described in paragraph (2) or (3), submission of proof of satisfactory completion of the requirements for certification established by the board under Chapter 352 of the Statutes of 2008.
(d) An optometrist certified pursuant to Section 3041.3 shall be certified to administer authorized immunizations, as described in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), after the optometrist meets all of the following requirements:
(1) Completes an immunization training program endorsed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education that, at a minimum, includes hands-on injection technique, clinical evaluation of indications and contraindications of vaccines, and the recognition and treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines, and maintains that training.
(2) Is certified in basic life support.
(3) Complies with all state and federal recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including providing documentation to the patient’s primary care provider and entering information in the appropriate immunization registry designated by the immunization branch of the State Department of Public Health.
(4) Applies for an immunization certificate in accordance with Section 3041.5.
(e) Other than for prescription ophthalmic devices described in subdivision (b) of Section 2541, any dispensing of a therapeutic pharmaceutical agent by an optometrist shall be without charge.
(f) An optometrist licensed under this chapter is subject to the provisions of Section 2290.5 for purposes of practicing telehealth.
(g) For the purposes of this chapter, all of the following definitions shall apply:
(1) “Adnexa” means the eyelids and muscles within the eyelids, the lacrimal system, and the skin extending from the eyebrows inferiorly, bounded by the medial, lateral, and inferior orbital rims, excluding the intraorbital extraocular muscles and orbital contents.
(2) “Anterior segment” means the portion of the eye anterior to the vitreous humor, including its overlying soft tissue coats.
(3) “Ophthalmologist” means a physician and surgeon, licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, specializing in treating eye disease.
(4) “Physician and surgeon” means a physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.
(5) “Prevention” means use or prescription of an agent or noninvasive device or technology for the purpose of inhibiting the development of an authorized condition or disease.
(6) “Treatment” means use of or prescription of an agent or noninvasive device or technology to alter the course of an authorized condition or disease once it is present.
(h) In an emergency, an optometrist shall stabilize, if possible, and immediately refer any patient who has an acute attack of angle closure to an ophthalmologist.

SEC. 2.

 Section 3041.4 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

3041.4.
 (a) An optometrist certified to treat glaucoma pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 3041 shall be certified to perform the following set of advanced procedures after meeting the requirements in subdivision (b) in a patient 18 years of age or older, after graduating from an accredited school of optometry: optometry and meeting the requirements of subdivision (b):
(1) Laser trabeculoplasty.
(2) Laser peripheral iridotomy for the prophylactic treatment of a clinically significant narrow drainage angle of the anterior chamber of the eye.
(3) Laser posterior capsulotomy after cataract surgery.
(4) Excision or drainage of nonrecurrent lesions of the adnexa evaluated consistent with the standard of care by the optometrist to be noncancerous, not involving the eyelid margin, lacrimal supply, or drainage systems, no deeper than the orbicularis muscle, excepting chalazia, and smaller than five millimeters in diameter. Tissue excised that is not fully necrotic shall be submitted for surgical pathological analysis.
(5) Closure of a wound resulting from a procedure described in paragraph (4).
(6) Injections for the treatment of chalazia and to administer local anesthesia required to perform procedures delineated in paragraph (4).
(7) Corneal crosslinking procedure, or the use of medication and ultraviolet light to make the tissues of the cornea stronger.
(b) An optometrist shall satisfy the requirements specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) to perform the advanced procedures specified in subdivision (a).
(1) Within two three years prior to beginning the requirements in paragraph (2), an optometrist shall satisfy both of the following:
(A) Complete a California State Board of Optometry-approved course of at least 32 hours that is designed to provide education on the advanced procedures delineated in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, medical decisionmaking that includes cases that would be poor surgical candidates, an overview and case presentations of known complications, practical experience performing the procedures, including a detailed assessment of the optometrist’s technique, and a written examination for which the optometrist achieves a passing score.
(B) Pass both sections of the Laser and Surgical Procedures Examination of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, or, in the event this examination is no longer offered, its equivalent, as determined by the California State Board of Optometry. At the California State Board of Optometry’s discretion, the requirement to pass the Laser and Surgical Procedures Examination may be waived if an optometrist has successfully passed both sections of the examination previously.
(2) Within three years, years of completing the requirements described in paragraph (1), an optometrist shall complete a California State Board of Optometry-approved training program conducted in California, including the performance of all required procedures that and shall involve sufficient direct experience with live human patients to permit certification of competency, by an accredited California school of optometry optometry, that shall contain the following:
(A) Hands-on instruction of the equivalent of an entire procedure on no less than the following number of simulated eyes or other appropriate models before performing the related procedure on live human patients:
(i) Five for each laser procedure set forth in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Five to learn the skills to perform excision and drainage procedures and injections authorized by this section. section, reasonably distributed among those procedures.
(iii) Five to learn the skills related to corneal crosslinking.
(B) The performance of at least 43 52 complete surgical procedures on live human patients, as follows:
(i) Eight laser trabeculoplasties.
(ii) Eight laser posterior capsulotomies.
(iii) Five laser peripheral iridotomies.
(iv) Five chalazion excisions.
(v) Four chalazion intralesional injections.
(vi) Seven excisions of an authorized lesion of greater than or equal to two millimeters in size.
(vii) Five excisions or drainages of other authorized lesions.
(viii) One Ten surgical corneal crosslinking cross-linkings involving removal of epithelium.
(C) (i)If necessary to certify the competence of the optometrist, the program shall require sufficient additional experience to that specified in subparagraph (B) before performing complete procedures on live human patients.

(ii)One time per optometrist seeking initial certification under this section, a procedure required by clause (i) to (vii), inclusive, of subparagraph (B) may be substituted for a different procedure required by clause (i) to (vii), inclusive, of subparagraph (B) to achieve the total number of complete surgical procedures required by subparagraph (B) if the procedures impart similar skills. The course administrator shall determine if the procedures impart similar skills.

(D) The training required by this section shall include at least a certain At least 40 percent of the required procedures in subparagraph (B) shall be performed in a cohort model where, for each patient and under the direct in-person supervision of a qualified educator, each member of the cohort independently assesses the patient, develops a treatment plan, evaluates the clinical outcome posttreatment, develops a plan to address any adverse or unintended clinical outcomes, and discusses and defends medical decisionmaking. The California State Board of Optometry-approved training program shall be responsible for determining the percentage of the required procedures in subparagraph (B). As used in this subparagraph, a “cohort” shall consist of at least five optometrists.
(E) Any procedures not completed under the terms of subparagraph (D) may be completed under a preceptorship model where, for each patient and under the direct in-person supervision of a qualified educator, the optometrist independently assesses the patient, develops a treatment plan, evaluates the clinical outcome posttreatment, develops a plan to address any adverse or unintended clinical outcomes, and discusses and defends medical decisionmaking.
(F) The qualified educator shall certify the competent performance of procedures completed pursuant to subparagraphs (D) and (E) on a form approved by the California State Board of Optometry.
(G) Upon the optometrist’s completion of all certification requirements, the course administrator, who shall be a qualified educator for all the procedures authorized by subdivision (a), on behalf of the program and relying on the certifications of procedures by qualified educators during the program, shall certify that the optometrist is competent to perform advanced procedures using a form approved by the California State Board of Optometry.
(c) The optometrist shall make a timely referral of a patient and all related records to an ophthalmologist or, in an urgent or emergent situation and an ophthalmologist is unavailable, a qualified center to provide urgent or emergent care, after stabilizing the patient to the degree possible if either of the following occur:
(1) The optometrist makes an intraoperative determination that a procedure being performed does not meet a specified criterion required by this section.
(2) The optometrist receives a pathology report for a lesion indicating the possibility of malignancy.
(d) This section does not authorize performing blepharoplasty or any cosmetic surgery procedure, including injections, with the exception of removing acrochordons that meet other qualifying criteria.
(e) An optometrist shall monitor and report the following information to the California State Board of Optometry on a form provided by the California State Board of Optometry or using an internet-based portal:
(1) At the time of license renewal or in response to a request of the California State Board of Optometry, the number and types of procedures authorized by this section that the optometrist performed and the diagnosis of the patient at the time the procedure was performed.
(2) Within three weeks of the event, any adverse treatment outcomes that required a referral to or consultation with another health care provider.
(f) (1) With each subsequent license renewal after being certified to perform the advanced procedures delineated in subdivision (a), the optometrist shall attest that they have performed at least two of each of the delineated procedures in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) during the period of licensure preceding the renewal.
(2) If the optometrist fails to attest to performance of any of the advanced procedures specified in paragraph (1), the optometrist’s advanced procedure certification shall no longer authorize the optometrist to perform that procedure until, with regard to that procedure, the optometrist performs at least the number of the specific advanced procedures required to be performed in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), as applicable, under the supervision of a qualified educator through either the cohort or preceptorship model outlined in subparagraphs (D) and (E) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), subject to subparagraph (F) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), and the qualified educator certifies that the optometrist is competent to perform the specific advanced procedures. The qualified educator may require the optometrist to perform additional procedures if necessary to certify the competence of the optometrist. The optometrist shall provide the certification to the California State Board of Optometry. be forfeited. To be issued another advanced procedure certification, the optometrist shall comply with the requirements described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(g) The California State Board of Optometry shall review adverse treatment outcome reports required under subdivision (e) in a timely manner, requesting additional information as necessary to make decisions regarding the need to impose additional training, or to restrict or revoke certifications based on its patient safety authority. The California State Board of Optometry shall compile a report summarizing the data collected pursuant to subdivision (e), including, but not limited to, percentage of adverse outcome distributions by unidentified licensee and California State Board of Optometry interventions, and shall make the report available on its internet website.
(h) The California State Board of Optometry may adopt regulations to implement this section.
(i) The California State Board of Optometry, by regulation, shall set the fee for issuance and renewal of a certificate authorizing the use of advanced procedures at an amount no higher than the reasonable cost of regulating optometrists certified to perform advanced procedures pursuant to this section.
(j) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Complete procedure” means all reasonably included steps to perform a surgical procedure, including, but not limited to, preoperative care, informed consent, all steps of the actual procedure, required reporting and review of any specimen submitted for pathologic review, and postoperative care. Multiple surgical procedures performed on a patient during a surgical session shall be considered a single surgical procedure.
(2) “Qualified educator” means a person nominated by an accredited California school of optometry as a person who is believed to be a suitable instructor, is subject to the regulatory authority of that person’s licensing board in carrying out required responsibilities under this section, and is either of the following:
(A) A California-licensed optometrist in good standing certified to perform advanced procedures approved by the California State Board of Optometry who has been continuously certified for three years and has performed at least 10 of the specific advanced procedures for which they will serve as a qualified educator during the preceding two years.
(B) A California-licensed physician and surgeon who is board-certified in ophthalmology, in good standing with the Medical Board of California, and in active surgical practice an average of at least 10 hours per week.

SEC. 3.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.