La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § XLV-412 - Emergency Temporary Permits

A. As used in this Section, the following terms shall have the following meanings.

Allied Health Care Practitioner- an individual, other than a physician, authorized by the board to practice in this state as an athletic trainer pursuant to R.S. 37:3301 through 3312; as a clinical exercise physiologist pursuant to R.S. 37:3421 through 3433; as a clinical laboratory scientist pursuant to R.S. 37:1311 through 1329; as a midwife pursuant to R.S. 37:3240 through 3257; as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant pursuant to R.S. 37:3001 through 3014; as a perfusionist pursuant to R.S. 37:1331 through 37:1343; as a physician assistant pursuant to R.S. 37:1360.21 through 1360.38; as a podiatrist pursuant to R.S. 37:611 through 628; as a polysomnographic technologist or polysomnographic technician pursuant to R.S. 37:2861 through 2870; as a private radiological technologist pursuant to R.S. 37:1292; or as a respiratory therapist or respiratory therapy assistant pursuant to R.S. 37:3351 through 3361.

Board- the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners established pursuant to R.S. 37:1263.

DHH- the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals or its successor in title.

Physician- an individual authorized by the board to practice medicine in this state, pursuant to R.S. 37:1261-1291.

B. The board may issue an emergency temporary permit to an individual to practice as a physician or allied health care practitioner, valid for a period of not more than 60 days, to provide voluntary, gratuitous medical services in this state during a public health emergency, and for such periods thereafter as DHH shall deem the need for emergency services to continue to exist, at sites specified by DHH or approved by the board, provided such individual:
1. holds a current, unrestricted license in good standing issued by the licensing authority of another state to practice the profession for which the permit is sought; and
2. presents or causes to be presented to the board in advance of providing medical services:
a. indisputable personal identification;
b. a copy of his or her professional license or other information deemed satisfactory by the board on which to verify out-of-state licensure;
c. a completed application and/or such information as may be required by the board; and
d. as to an allied health care practitioner required by the laws of this state to practice under physician supervision, designation of a physician who will serve in such capacity.
C. An emergency temporary permit may be issued upon such terms, conditions, limitations or restrictions as to time, place, nature, and scope of practice as are, in the judgment of the board, deemed necessary or appropriate to its responsibilities under law.
D. The board may, in its discretion, issue a permit under this Section to an individual to practice as a physician or allied health care practitioner who provides medical services other than on a gratuitous basis, and/or at sites other than those specified by DHH or approved by the board. The board may also issue a permit to an individual who satisfies the provisions of R.S. 29:735.I.
E. A physician or allied health care practitioner shall visibly display a permit issued under this Section, or such other identifying information as the board may specify, in plain view on his or her person at all times while exercising the privileges of such permit.
F. An emergency temporary permit entitles the holder to engage in the practice of his profession in the state of Louisiana only for the period specified by such permit and creates no right or entitlement to licensing, registration, certification or renewal of the permit after its expiration.
G. A permit issued under this Section shall expire and become null and void on the earlier of:
1. 60 days from the date on which it was issued;
2. a date specified on the permit less than 60 days from the date of issuance; or
3. the date that the term of voluntary service is terminated.
H. The board may, in its discretion, extend or renew an expired emergency temporary permit for additional 60-day periods provided all conditions prerequisite to original issuance are satisfied.
I. Following termination of a public health emergency the board may, in its discretion, issue, extend or renew a permit under this Section during such period as DHH shall deem the need for emergency services continues to exist.
J. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this Section respecting emergency temporary permits and those contained in any Chapter administered by the board respecting an allied health care practitioner, the provisions of this Section shall govern.
K. If any rule, Section, provision or item of this Chapter or the application thereof is held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other rules, Sections, provisions, items or applications, and to this end the rules, Sections, provisions and items of this Chapter are hereby deemed to be severable.
L. The board may, upon its electronic receipt of a completed application and/or such information as may be required to verify the individual as a former licensee, issue a permit under this Section to an individual who does not possess a current license to practice medicine or as allied health care practitioner in this state, provided:
1. such individual:
a. was formerly licensed by the board;
b. was not, in the preceding 15 years, disciplined by the board;
c. at the time his or her license last expired, held an unrestricted license in-good standing with the board and was not subject to board order, investigation or disciplinary proceedings;
d. affirms that there is no known condition that would impair his/her ability to practice safely;
e. practices within the scope and expertise of his/her education, training and experience and that of the formerly held license issued by the board;
f. has made arrangements and registered to provide health care services with a hospital, institution or facility licensed by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) or at another site approved by LDH or the board, that:
i. is registered as a host entity pursuant to the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act, R.S. 29:781, et seq.; and
ii. initiated the individual's application process by providing electronic confirmation to LDH and the board that it supports permit issuance and will accept, credential and grant privileges to the individual to provide voluntary health care services for the facility.
g. limits the provision of health care services to patients of the hospital, institution or facility licensed by LDH or at another site specified or approved by LDH or the board, at which he is registered to provide services pursuant to the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act, R.S. 29:781, et seq.;
2. a permit issued under §412.L shall be available to a physician who holds a reduced-fee license pursuant to §418 of these rules without the necessity of satisfying the requirements of §418,C;
3. permit issuance under this Section may be verified from the board's website.

Notes

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § XLV-412
Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Board of Medical Examiners, LR 33:91 (January 2007), Amended by the Board of Medical Examiners, Department of Health, LR 46, Amended by the Department of Health, Board of Medical Examiners, LR 47735 (6/1/2021).
AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1270, 1275; R.S. 37:3301-3312; R.S. 37:3421-3433; R.S. 37:1311-1329; R.S. 37:3240-3257; R.S. 37:3001-3014; R.S. 37:1331-1343; R.S. 37:1360.21-1360.38; R.S. 37:611-628; R.S. 37:2861-2870; R.S. 37:1292; R.S. 37:3351-3361 and R.S. 29:769(E), R.S. 29:785 and R.S. 29:788.

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