Section 17-8099. DEFINITIONS

 

8099.1As used in this chapter the following terms have the meanings ascribed:

 

Board - the Board of Medicine, established by § 203(a) of the Act, D.C. Official Code § 3-1202.03(a) (1) (2001).

 

Committee - the Advisory Committee on Surgical Assistants, established by § 203 (c-3) of the Act. D.C. Official Code § 3-1202.03(c-3) (2001).

 

Immediately available - physically present in the surgical suite and capable of responding to the surgical assistant and the patient as medically appropriate.

 

Practice by surgical assistants - means the provision of aid by a person who is not a physician licensed to practice medicine, under the direct supervision of a surgeon licensed in the District, in exposure, hemostasis, closures, and other intraoperative technical functions that assist a physician in performing a safe operation with optimal results for the patient.

 

Surgical assistant - a person licensed to practice as a surgical assistant under the Act, or meeting the requirements for licensure in the District, regardless of whether he or she are licensed in fact, until March 6, 2009.

 

Surgical suite - includes the operating room as well as contiguous recovery rooms.

 

Supervising surgeon - a surgeon licensed by the Board who delegates to a licensed surgical assistant surgically assisting and oversees and accepts responsibility for the surgical assisting.

 

8099.2The definitions in § 4099 of chapter 40 of this title and the Act are incorporated by reference into and are applicable to this chapter.

 

source

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