4731-23-03  Delegation of medical tasks;  Prohibitions.

(A)  A physician shall not delegate the practice of medicine as defined in section 4731.34 of the Revised Code unless specifically authorized to do so in the Revised Code or by an administrative rule adopted pursuant to the Revised Code and which became effective prior to April 10, 2001. Nothing in this chapter of the Administrative Code shall prohibit the performance of emergency medical tasks.

(B)  A physician shall not delegate a task to an unlicensed person if the task is beyond that person's competence. In a hospital, as defined in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code, or an ambulatory care center affiliated with the hospital (if the center meets the same credentialing, quality assurance, and utilization review standards as the hospital) wherein unlicensed persons are employed or otherwise authorized by the governing authority  of the institution to perform specific medical tasks, one factor the physician shall take into account is the policies by which the employer or the governing authority of the institution seeks to ensure that competent persons will be performing the delegated tasks.

(C)  A physician shall not delegate a medical task that is not within the authority of that physician or is beyond the physician's training, expertise, or normal course of practice.

(D)  A physician shall not transfer his or her responsibility for supervising an unlicensed person in the performance of a delegated medical task, except to another physician who has knowingly accepted that responsibility.

(E)  A physician shall not authorize or permit an unlicensed person to whom a medical task is delegated to delegate the performance of that task to another person.

(F)  Except as provided in divisions (D)(4) to (D)(8) of section 4731.053 of the Revised Code,  a physician shall not delegate to an unlicensed person the administration of anesthesia, controlled substances, or drugs administered intravenously.

(G)  The supervising physician retains responsibility for the manner in which the delegated task is carried out.

Effective:  May 31, 2002