Section 17-8014. SUPERVISING SURGEON

 

8014.1To be authorized to supervise a surgical assistant, a physician must be currently licensed as a physician in the District. The license must be unrestricted and active.

 

8014.2A supervising surgeon shall perform the critical portions of a surgical procedure. Supervision shall be continuous, and shall require that the delegating physician be immediately available in the surgical suite for delegated acts that the surgical assistant performs and to respond to any emergency until the patient is released from the surgical suite and care has been transferred to another physician, or until the surgical assistant has completed his or her tasks and has been excused by the supervising surgeon. Telecommunication is insufficient for supervision purposes or as a means for directing delegated acts.

 

8014.3It is the responsibility of each team of physician(s) and surgical assistant(s) to ensure that:

 

(a)The surgical assistant's scope of practice is clearly defined;

 

(b)Delegation of medical tasks is appropriate to the surgical assistant's level of competence;

 

(c)The relationship between the members of the team is defined;

 

(d)That the relationship of, and access to, the supervising surgeon is defined; and

 

(e)A process for evaluation of the surgical assistant's performance is established.

 

source

Final Rulemaking published at 54 DCR 9549 (October 5, 2007).