SECTIONS 680-685 - California Statutes

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE

SECTION 680-685

680. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a health
care practitioner shall disclose, while working, his or her name and
practitioner's license status, as granted by this state, on a name
tag in at least 18-point type. A health care practitioner in a
practice or an office, whose license is prominently displayed, may
opt to not wear a name tag. If a health care practitioner or a
licensed clinical social worker is working in a psychiatric setting
or in a setting that is not licensed by the state, the employing
entity or agency shall have the discretion to make an exception from
the name tag requirement for individual safety or therapeutic
concerns. In the interest of public safety and consumer awareness, it
shall be unlawful for any person to use the title "nurse" in
reference to himself or herself and in any capacity, except for an
individual who is a registered nurse or a licensed vocational nurse,
or as otherwise provided in Section 2800. Nothing in this section
shall prohibit a certified nurse assistant from using his or her
title.
(b) Facilities licensed by the State Department of Social
Services, the State Department of Mental Health, or the State
Department of Health Services shall develop and implement policies to
ensure that health care practitioners providing care in those
facilities are in compliance with subdivision (a). The State
Department of Social Services, the State Department of Mental Health,
and the State Department of Health Services shall verify through
periodic inspections that the policies required pursuant to
subdivision (a) have been developed and implemented by the respective
licensed facilities.
(c) For purposes of this article, "health care practitioner" means
any person who engages in acts that are the subject of licensure or
regulation under this division or under any initiative act referred
to in this division.

680.5. (a) (1) A health care practitioner licensed under Division 2
(commencing with Section 500) shall communicate to a patient his or
her name, state-granted practitioner license type, and highest level
of academic degree, by one or both of the following methods:
(A) In writing at the patient's initial office visit.
(B) In a prominent display in an area visible to patients in his
or her office.
(2) An individual licensed under Chapter 6 (commencing with
Section 2700) or Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 4000) is not
required to disclose the highest level of academic degree he or she
holds.
(b) A person licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section
2000) or under the Osteopathic Act, who is certified by (1) an
American Board of Medical Specialties member board, (2) a board or
association with requirements equivalent to a board described in
paragraph (1) approved by that person's medical licensing authority,
or (3) a board or association with an Accreditation Council for
Graduate Medical Education approved postgraduate training program
that provides complete training in the person's specialty or
subspecialty, shall disclose the name of the board or association by
either method described in subdivision (a).
(c) A health care practitioner who chooses to disclose the
information required by subdivisions (a) and (b) pursuant to
subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall present
that information in at least 24-point type in the following format:

HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER INFORMATION
1. Name and license........................... .
2. Highest level of academic degree........... .
3. Board certification (ABMS/MBC)............. .

(d) This section shall not apply to the following health care
practitioners:
(1) A person who provides professional medical services to
enrollees of a health care service plan that exclusively contracts
with a single medical group in a specific geographic area to provide
or arrange for professional medical services for the enrollees of the
plan.
(2) A person who works in a facility licensed under Section 1250
of the Health and Safety Code or in a clinical laboratory licensed
under Section 1265.
(3) A person licensed under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section
1200), Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 3300), Chapter 8.3
(commencing with Section 3700), Chapter 11 (commencing with Section
4800), Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 4980), or Chapter 14
(commencing with Section 4990.1).
(e) A health care practitioner, who provides information regarding
health care services on an Internet Web site that is directly
controlled or administered by that health care practitioner or his or
her office personnel, shall prominently display on that Internet Web
site the information required by this section.

681. (a) Commencing July 1, 2000, every person licensed pursuant to
this division who collects human biological specimens for clinical
testing or examination, shall secure, or ensure that his or her
employees, agents, or contractors secure, those specimens in a locked
container when those specimens are placed in a public location
outside of the custodial control of the licensee, or his or her
employees, agents, or contractors.
(b) Containers used for human biological specimens put into use on
or after January 1, 2001, shall be marked "Caution: Biohazardous
Material - Please Do Not Touch or Handle," or words of similar
meaning.
(c) This section shall not apply where the biological specimens
have been placed in the mail in compliance with all applicable laws
and regulations.
(d) The licensing board having jurisdiction of the licensee may
impose appropriate sanctions for violations of this section,
including, if otherwise authorized by the licensing act, the
imposition of a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(e) As used in this section, "locked container" means a secure
container that is fully enclosed and locked by a padlock, key lock,
combination lock, or similar locking device.

682. An individual authorized to prescribe emergency contraception
who issues a prescription or order for emergency contraception drug
therapy as a result of a patient contact by telephone or electronic
means may not charge an administrative fee or fees totaling more than
ten dollars ($10) for emergency contraception drug therapy services.
This limitation is not intended to interfere with other
contractually agreed-upon terms between an individual prescriber and
a health care service plan, insurer, or disability insurer for
payment directly to the prescriber by the plan or insurer.

683. (a) A board shall report, within 10 working days, to the State
Department of Health Care Services the name and license number of a
person whose license has been revoked, suspended, surrendered, made
inactive by the licensee, or placed in another category that
prohibits the licensee from practicing his or her profession. The
purpose of the reporting requirement is to prevent reimbursement by
the state for Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal services provided after the
cancellation of a provider's professional license.
(b) "Board," as used in this section, means the Dental Board of
California, the Medical Board of California, the Board of Psychology,
the State Board of Optometry, the California State Board of
Pharmacy, the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, the State
Board of Chiropractic Examiners, and the California Board of
Occupational Therapy.

685. (a) (1) A board may cite and fine a currently licensed health
care practitioner if he or she is in default on a United States
Department of Health and Human Services education loan, including a
Health Education Assistance Loan.
(2) Each board that issues citations and imposes fines shall
retain the money from these fines for deposit into its appropriate
fund.
(b) The board may deny a license to an applicant to be a health
care practitioner or deny renewal of a license if he or she is in
default on a United States Department of Health and Human Services
education loan, including a Health Education Assistance Loan, until
the default is cleared or until the applicant or licensee has made
satisfactory repayment arrangements.
(c) In determining whether to issue a citation and the amount of
the fine to a health care practitioner or to deny a license to an
applicant to be a health care practitioner or to deny the renewal of
a license, a board shall take into consideration the following:
(1) The population served by the health care practitioner.
(2) The health care practitioner's economic status.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have
the following meanings:
(1) "Board" means a licensing board or agency having jurisdiction
of a licensee, but does not include the Board of Chiropractic
Examiners.
(2) "Health care practitioner" means a person licensed or
certified pursuant to this division or licensed pursuant to the
Osteopathic Initiative Act.
(e) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2003.