New bill proposed to address surgical assistant shortage

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED by state lawmakers would allow people to become certified surgical first assistants through the R.I. Department of Health. Pictured is the R.I. Statehouse. / PBN FILE PHOTO/CASSIUS SHUMAN

PROVIDENCE – A new bill introduced by state lawmakers would allow people to become certified surgical first assistants through the R.I. Department of Health.

Under current state law, only registered nurses or physician’s assistants can work as surgical first assistants – staff who assist physicians during surgery. Other states, including neighboring Massachusetts, allow surgical techs who obtain additional training to work independently as first assistants, but not Rhode Island.

Legislation proposed by several lawmakers would change this, allowing staff to perform as first assistants after receiving a certification from a board of licensure within the R.I. Department of Health.

“You want to provide the care your patients deserve,” said Rep. David Bennett, D-Warwick, one of the sponsors of the bill. “But sometimes you just can’t if you don’t have the people.”

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The hope is that this will ease some of the staffing shortages that have been plaguing the state’s health care system.

“This is a no-brainer,” Bennett said. “We have people who are trained to do the work and are certified to do the work. The state should let them do it.”

Another bill would limit the amount of physical therapy copays, prohibiting insurance plans from charging higher copays for physical therapy than they would for other services.

Claudia Chiappa is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Chiappa@PBN.com. 

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