HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	157
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

URGING THE HAWAII MEDICAL BOARD TO REQUIRE CLINICAL PHYSICIAN PRACTITIONERS TO COMPLETE 12 HOURS OF CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION ON PALLIATIVE CARE EVERY FOUR YEARS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN LICENSURE.

     WHEREAS, palliative care relieves symptoms, such as pain, nausea, fatigue, depression, and anxiety; and

     WHEREAS, new treatment options are continuously being discovered and introduced; and

     WHEREAS, continuing education will help clinical physicians stay up-to-date with current best practices; and

     WHEREAS, "clinical physician practitioners" excludes non- clinical physicians, including:

          (1)  Medical examiners;

          (2)  Nuclear medicine doctors;

          (3)  Pathologists;

          (4)  Podiatrists;

          (5)  Public health physicians;

          (6)  Sports medicine physicians; and

          (7)  Physicians performing strictly administrative functions;

now, therefore,
     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaii Medical Board adopt rules, pursuant to Chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to require clinical physician practitioners to complete 12 hours of continuing medical education on palliative care every four years to maintain licensure; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Medical Examiners.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Urging the Legislature to require the Hawaii medical board to adopt rules requiring continuing education on palliative care for physician clinical practitioners.