SB 535

This bill creates licensure requirements and practice standards for

anesthesiologist assistants.

The bill prohibits a person from practicing as an anesthesiologist assistant or

representing or implying that the person is an anesthesiologist assistant unless the

person holds a license to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant granted by the

Medical Examining Board (board). The bill requires the board to issue a license to

a person who has: 1) obtained a bachelor's degree; 2) completed an accredited

anesthesiologist assistant program; and 3) passed a certifying examination. The

board may also issue a license to a person who is licensed as an anesthesiologist

assistant in another state, if that state authorizes a licensed anesthesiologist

assistant to practice in the same manner and to the same extent as this state.

Under the bill, an anesthesiologist assistant may assist an anesthesiologist in

the delivery of medical care only under the supervision of an anesthesiologist who

is immediately available and able to intervene if needed. The scope of an

anesthesiologist assistant's practice is limited to assisting only the supervising

anesthesiologist and performing only certain medical care tasks assigned by the

supervising anesthesiologist. The medical care tasks are specified in the bill and

include the following: 1) developing and implementing an anesthesia care plan; 2)

implementing monitoring techniques; 3) pretesting and calibrating anesthesia

delivery systems; 4) administering vasoactive drugs and starting and adjusting

vasoactive infusions; 5) administering intermittent anesthetic, adjuvant, and

accessory drugs; 6) implementing spinal, epidural, and regional anesthetic

procedures; and 7) administering blood, blood products, and supportive fluids.

The bill requires an anesthesiologist assistant to be employed by one of certain

health care providers specified in the bill and to enter into a supervision agreement

with an anesthesiologist who represents the anesthesiologist assistant's employer.

The supervision agreement must identify the anesthesiologist assistant's

supervising anesthesiologist and define the scope of the anesthesiologist assistant's

practice, and may limit the anesthesiologist assistant's practice to less than the full

scope of anesthesiologist assistant practice authorized by the bill.

The bill authorizes a student anesthesiologist assistant to perform only medical

care tasks assigned by an anesthesiologist, who may delegate the supervision of a

student to a qualified anesthesiology provider. The bill also creates a five-member

Council on Anesthesiologist Assistants to advise and make recommendations to the

board and requires a study of the feasibility of establishing an anesthesiologist

assistant school in the University of Wisconsin System.