Article archive / December 1, 2010
Originally published: . Volume 2, No. 4. Source pages: 1, 18.
The proposed administrative laws (called “rules”) for the practice of medical psychology were published in the November issue of the Louisiana Register. The rules set general provisions for the practice of medical psychology including issues of licensure, certification and practice. The full document is available online at http://doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/register.htm. (See Part IV, “Notices of Intent,” under Health and Hospitals.)
The listing in the Register notifies the public that the medical board intends to adopt the rules into law, and covers definitions of medical psychologist (MP), medical psychology, authority and limitations of practice, requirements of consultation with physicians, restriction of the title, and other issues.
The notice indicates that the medical board’s revenue from MPs is estimated to be $17,500 per year with $2500 additional each year from new licenses.
The rules, following Act 251, give those medical psychologists licensed under the medical board the authority to “order, administer, and prescribe or distribute without charge drugs recognized as customarily used for the management of mental, nervous, emotional, behavioral, substance abuse and cognitive diseases or disorders; and 2. order and interpret routine laboratory studies and other medical diagnostic procedures, as necessary for adequate pretreatment health screening, …”
The definition of medical psychology includes the practice of psychology as defined by the psychology licensing law: “In addition, the practice of medical psychology shall include the practice of psychology as defined in R. S. 37:2352(5).”
The proposed rules do not address the role of psychological assistants, which Act 251 lists in some detail.
In the notice of proposed rules, wording in the definition of “medical psychologist” appears to be changed to “psychologist practitioner” which is different from the wording in Act 251 of “psychological practitioner.”
The proposed rules, and Act 251, establish the Medical Psychology Advisory Committee, composed of one physician and four MPs. The MPs are to be recommended by Louisiana Academy of Medical Psychology (LAMP), and “serve at the pleasure of the medical board.”
MPs are required to obtain 35 units of continuing education, 20 in medical psychology and 15 in psychology. A minimum of twenty-five percent of the continuing education requirements must come from LAMP.
Medical psychologists without a Certificate of Advanced Practice “…shall prescribe only in consultation and collaboration with the patient's primary or attending physician, and with the concurrence of that physician.”
Regarding medical psychologists with a Certificate of Advanced Practice, the rules note, “Patients receiving care from a medical psychologist who holds a certificate of advanced practice issued under this Part shall have an established primary, attending or referring physician licensed by the board who shall be responsible for the patient's overall medical care.” The MP is to provide the physician with a summary of the treatment plan or copy of initial examination, and follow-up reports.
The document notes, “Interested persons may submit written data, views, arguments, information or comments on the proposed rules to Rita Arceneaux, Confidential Executive Assistant, Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, at Post Office Box 30250, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70190-0250 (1515 Poydras Street, Suite 2700, New Orleans, LA 70112), (504) 568-6820, Ex. 242. She is responsible for responding to inquiries. Written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m., December 20, 2010.”
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.