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The Office of Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has just released a
statement about her signing into law a bill that will give psychologists
prescriptive authority under certain conditions.
Here's the statement:
[begin statement]
After much debate and consultation with medical professionals on all sides
of this issue, I have signed HB 1426. This bill, under very tight controls,
will give medical psychologists prescriptive authority.
I did not take the responsibility of this decision lightly. While the
opponents of the bill were persuasive, the proponents, including the
Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, have assured me that
there are ample safeguards built into the legislation. In addition, Speaker
Salter and President Hines have promised that if this law does not work as
intended, they will move quickly on legislation to address any unintended
problems.
I signed this bill for a number of reasons:
In many areas of the state there is a shortage of mental health care
providers. I hope that this bill will encourage psychologists to extend
care to underserved populations. I am committed to extending quality,
affordable health care to as many of our citizens as possible.
Many physicians currently work in consultation with medical psychologists
and tell me they are comfortable prescribing in consultation with medical
psychologists.
A number of physicians have expressed this opinion to me and to members of
the Health and Welfare Committees. For these physicians, this bill will
mean little change to existing practice. Once a consultation occurs by
phone today, the doctor may call in a prescription to a pharmacist. Under
this law, after that conversation, the medical psychologist or the physician
may write the prescription.
The law requires that the psychologist obtain the agreement of the primary
or attending physician. The primary or attending physician must render
proper medical advice and is under no obligation to concur with the
psychologist. If a physician is uncomfortable with this arrangement, she or
he will not be required to give approval to the medical psychologist to
prescribe. In order to prescribe, approval of the physician is absolutely
necessary. Because of this mandatory relationship with the primary or
attending physician, the patient's total health care needs are provided for.
Prescriptive authority is limited to only those drugs related to the
diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders. This is the
specific area of expertise for medical psychologists. In addition, those
eligible to prescribe are in a very elite group of individuals who have
completed a graduate level course in psychopharmacology. The bill mandates
that this prescriptive authority shall be given only to psychologists who
have undergone specialized training in clinical psychopharmacology and who
have passed a national proficiency examination in psychopharmacology
approved by the Louisiana Board of Examiners of Psychologists and who hold
from the board a current certificate of responsibility.
I expect that the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists will promulgate
tough rules to require documentation of the required consultation by medical
psychologists prior to prescribing medications. I expect the Board to
enforce the provisions of the law. Those who do not abide by the provisions
that require prescriptions only after consultation, collaboration and
concurrence with a primary or attending physician will lose their
prescribing privileges and face misdemeanor charges as provided for in the
law.
[end statement]
statement about her signing into law a bill that will give psychologists
prescriptive authority under certain conditions.
Here's the statement:
[begin statement]
After much debate and consultation with medical professionals on all sides
of this issue, I have signed HB 1426. This bill, under very tight controls,
will give medical psychologists prescriptive authority.
I did not take the responsibility of this decision lightly. While the
opponents of the bill were persuasive, the proponents, including the
Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, have assured me that
there are ample safeguards built into the legislation. In addition, Speaker
Salter and President Hines have promised that if this law does not work as
intended, they will move quickly on legislation to address any unintended
problems.
I signed this bill for a number of reasons:
In many areas of the state there is a shortage of mental health care
providers. I hope that this bill will encourage psychologists to extend
care to underserved populations. I am committed to extending quality,
affordable health care to as many of our citizens as possible.
Many physicians currently work in consultation with medical psychologists
and tell me they are comfortable prescribing in consultation with medical
psychologists.
A number of physicians have expressed this opinion to me and to members of
the Health and Welfare Committees. For these physicians, this bill will
mean little change to existing practice. Once a consultation occurs by
phone today, the doctor may call in a prescription to a pharmacist. Under
this law, after that conversation, the medical psychologist or the physician
may write the prescription.
The law requires that the psychologist obtain the agreement of the primary
or attending physician. The primary or attending physician must render
proper medical advice and is under no obligation to concur with the
psychologist. If a physician is uncomfortable with this arrangement, she or
he will not be required to give approval to the medical psychologist to
prescribe. In order to prescribe, approval of the physician is absolutely
necessary. Because of this mandatory relationship with the primary or
attending physician, the patient's total health care needs are provided for.
Prescriptive authority is limited to only those drugs related to the
diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders. This is the
specific area of expertise for medical psychologists. In addition, those
eligible to prescribe are in a very elite group of individuals who have
completed a graduate level course in psychopharmacology. The bill mandates
that this prescriptive authority shall be given only to psychologists who
have undergone specialized training in clinical psychopharmacology and who
have passed a national proficiency examination in psychopharmacology
approved by the Louisiana Board of Examiners of Psychologists and who hold
from the board a current certificate of responsibility.
I expect that the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists will promulgate
tough rules to require documentation of the required consultation by medical
psychologists prior to prescribing medications. I expect the Board to
enforce the provisions of the law. Those who do not abide by the provisions
that require prescriptions only after consultation, collaboration and
concurrence with a primary or attending physician will lose their
prescribing privileges and face misdemeanor charges as provided for in the
law.
[end statement]
