216-RICR-40-05-1. Licensure and Discipline of Physicians (version Periodic Refile, 01/02/2002 to 01/27/2003)

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE LICENSURE AND DISCIPLINE OF PHYSICIANS (R5-37-MD/DO) STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS Department of Health Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline 1967 As Amended: December 1967 February 1975 February 1976 March 1977 December 1978 May 1982 July 1986 October 1988 (E) September 1990(E) January 1991 (E) August 1991 September 1991 November 1992 June 1997 September 1998 January 2000 January 2002 (re-filing in accordance with the provisions of section 42-35- 4.1 of the Rhode Island General Laws, as amended) i INTRODUCTION The Rules and Regulations for the Licensure and Discipline of Physicians (R5-37-MD/DO) are promulgated pursuant to the authority conferred under Chapter 5-37 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, as amended, and are established for the purpose of adopting standards governing the licensure and discipline of physicians in Rhode Island. Pursuant to the provisions of section 42-35-3(c) of the General Laws of Rhode Island, as amended, consideration was given in arriving at the amended regulations as to: (1) alternative approaches to the regulations; (2) duplication or overlap with other state regulations; and (3) significant economic impact on small business as defined in Chapter 42-35 of the General Laws, which could result from these regulations. No known overlap or duplication, no alternative approach, nor any significant economic impact was identified based on available information. These rules and regulations shall supersede any other regulations governing the licensure and discipline of physicians previously promulgated by the Department of Health and filed with the Secretary of State. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PART I LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS/PHYSICIANS Section R5-37-MD/DO 1.0 Definitions 1 2.0 License Requirements 2 2.2 Practice of Medical Acupuncture 2 3.0 Qualifications 2 4.0 Application/Fee 5 5.0 Examination 6 6.0 Continuing Education 7 7.0 Issuance and Renewal of License 7 8.0 Refusal of License 10 9.0 Inactive List 10 10.0 Unprofessional Conduct 11 11.0 Services 11 11.2 Medical Records 11 12.0 Patient Disclosure 12 PART II VIOLATIONS / SANCTIONS / SEVERABILITY 14 Section R5-37-MD/DO 13.0 Practices and Procedures 14 14.0 Severability 14 1 PART I LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR PHYSICIANS Section 1.0 Definitions Wherever used in these rules and regulations, the terms listed below shall be construed in the following manner: 1.1 “Acupuncture” means the insertion of needles into the human body by piercing the skin of the body, for the purpose of controlling and regulating the flow and balance of energy in the body. For the purposes of the rules and regulations herein, “medical acupuncture” means acupuncture as practiced by physicians licensed under the provisions of Chapter 5-37 of the Rhode Island General Laws, as amended. 1.2 "Act" refers to Chapter 5-37 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, 1956, as amended, entitled, "Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline." 1.3 "Board" refers to the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline or any committee or subcommittee thereof established under the provisions of section 5-37-1.1 of the Act. 1.4 "Chief Administrative Officer" means the administrator of the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline. 1.5 "Director" refers to the Director, Rhode Island Department of Health. 1.6 “Doctor of Acupuncture” means a person who has been licensed under the provisions of Chapter 5- 37.2 of the Rhode Island General Laws, as amended, to practice the art of healing known as acupuncture. 1.7 "Foreign Medical Graduate" means a physician (individual) whose basic medical degree or qualification was conferred by an allopathic medical school located outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. 1.8 "License" is synonymous with registration certificate. 1.9 "Person" means any individual, partnership, firm corporation, (including, but not limited to, associations, joint stock companies, limited liability companies, and insurance companies), trust or estate, state or political subdivision or instrumentality of a state. 1.10 "Physician" means any person licensed to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5-37 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, 1956, as amended. 1.11 "Practice of Medicine", pursuant to section 5-37-1 (1) of the Act, shall include the practice of allopathic and osteopathic medicine. Any person shall be regarded as practicing medicine within the meaning of the act who holds himself or herself out as being able to diagnose, treat, operate, or prescribe for any person ill or alleged to be ill with disease, pain, injury, deformity or abnormal physical 2 or mental condition, or who shall either profess to heal, offer or undertake, by any means or method, to diagnose, treat, operate, or prescribe for any person for disease, pain, injury, deformity or physical or mental condition. In addition, one who attaches the title M.D., physician, surgeon, D.O., osteopathic physician and surgeon, or any other similar word or words or abbreviation to his or her name indicating that he or she is engaged in the treatment or diagnosis of the diseases, injuries or conditions of persons shall be held to be engaged in the practice of medicine. Section 2.0 License Requirements 2.1 No person, unless licensed to practice medicine in this state, shall practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine or surgery or attempt to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine or surgery, or any of the branches of allopathic or osteopathic medicine or surgery after having received therefore or with the intent of receiving therefore, either directly or indirectly, any bonus, gift or compensation or who shall open an office with intent to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine or shall hold himself or herself out to the public as a practitioner of allopathic or osteopathic medicine, whether by appending to his or her name the title of doctor or any abbreviation thereof, or M.D., or D.O. or any other title or designation implying a practitioner of allopathic or osteopathic medicine. Practice of Medical Acupuncture 2.2 Any physician licensed in Rhode Island under the provisions of Chapter 5-37 who seeks to practice medical acupuncture as a therapy shall comply with the following: 2.2.1 Meet the requirements for licensure as a doctor of acupuncture set forth in the Rules and Regulations for Licensing Doctors of Acupuncture and Acupuncture Assistants promulgated by the Department of Health; or 2.2.2 Successfully complete a course offered to physicians that meets the requirements set forth in these regulations and includes no less than the following: a) a minimum of three hundred (300) hours of formal instruction; b) a supervised clinical practicum incorporated into the formal instruction required in subsection 2.2.2(a) (above). Section 3.0 Qualifications For Licensure 3.1 Allopathic Physicians: 3.1.1 Graduates of Schools Located in the U.S.A. and Puerto Rico: An applicant seeking licensure to practice medicine in this state must: a) be of good moral character; 3 b) have graduated from a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME); c) have satisfactorily completed two (2) years of post graduate training in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; d) have satisfactorily passed an examination approved by the Board; and e) meet such other requirements as set forth by regulation or as may be established by the Board. 3.1.2 Graduates of Schools Located in Canada: An applicant seeking licensure to practice medicine in this state must: a) be of good moral character; b) have graduated from a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME); c) have satisfactorily completed two (2) years of post graduate training in a program accredited by the Accreditation Committee of the Federation of the Medical Licensing Authority of Canada or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; d) have satisfactorily passed an examination approved by the Board; and e) meet such other requirements as set forth by regulation or as may be established by the Board. 3.1.3 Foreign Medical Graduates An applicant seeking licensure to practice medicine in this state who is a Foreign Medical Graduate must: a) be of good moral character; b) have graduated from a medical school located outside the United States which is recognized by the World Health Organization; c) have received certification by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG); d) on or after 30 September 1986, applicants must have satisfactorily completed three (3) years internship or residency in a training program accredited by the Council for Graduate Medical Education. Prior to the above date, two (2) years internship or residency in such a training program must have been satisfactorily completed; 4 e) have satisfactorily passed an examination approved by the Board; and f) meet such other requirements as set forth by regulation or as may be established by the Board. 3.1.4 Foreign Medical Graduates/United States Citizens (Fifth [5th] Pathway) An applicant seeking licensure to practice medicine in this state and who is a Foreign Medical Graduate and a United States citizen at the time of attendance at said foreign school and who has completed all of the formal requirements of said medical school except internship and/or social services must: a) be of good moral character; b) have successfully completed a course of study from a medical school located outside the United States which is recognized by the World Health Organization; c) have satisfactorily passed the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates Examinations; d) have attained a score satisfactory to a medical school approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education on a qualifying examination acceptable to the State Board for Medicine; e) on or after 30 September 1986, applicants must have satisfactorily completed three (3) years internship or residency in a training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Prior to the above date, two (2) years of internship or residency in such a training program must have been satisfactorily completed. f) have satisfactorily passed an examination approved by the Board; and g) meet such other requirements as set forth by regulation or as may be established by the Board. 3.2 Osteopathic Physicians: 3.2.1 Graduates of Schools of Osteopathic Medicine: An applicant seeking licensure to practice Osteopathic Medicine in this state must: a) be of good moral character; b) have graduated from an osteopathic medical school located in the United States that is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association; c) have satisfactorily completed two (2) years of post graduate training in a program approved by the American Osteopathic Association or the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education: 5 d) have satisfactorily passed an examination approved by the Board; and e) meet such other requirements as set forth by regulations or as may be established by the Board. Section 4.0 Application For License & Fees 4.1 Application for licensure shall be made on forms provided by the Board which shall be completed, including the physician's signature, notarized and a recent identification photograph of the applicant, head and shoulder front view, approximately 2 x 3 inches in size submitted to the Board. 4.2 Such application shall be accompanied by the following documents and fee (non-refundable and non-returnable): a) a total of four (4) references attesting to your character and professional abilities on a form supplied by the Board mailed directly to the Board from the following individuals: i) the chief of staff or department chairperson in the hospital where applicant currently holds staff privileges; ii) the hospital administrator in the hospital where applicant currently holds staff privileges; iii) two (2) additional practicing physicians. If the applicant does not currently hold staff privileges, references must be obtained, on the form described above, from the following individuals: iv) the chairman of the department where the applicant has had a majority of training; v) the director of the residency or fellowship training programs; vi) two additional practicing physicians. b) the applicant must submit a self-query of the National Practitioner Data Bank. c) all license application must include a completed Federation Credentials Verification Form (FCVS) from the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc. d) a statement from the Board of Examiners in Allopathic or Osteopathic Medicine in each state in which the applicant has held or holds licensure to be submitted to the Board of this state attest- ing the licensure status of the applicant during the time period applicant held licensure in said state; e) the application examination fee, as determined by statute, made payable by check to the General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island (non-refundable); 6 f) such other information as may be deemed necessary and appropriate by the Board. 4.3 The Board, at its discretion, reserves the right to require any or all applicants to appear before the Board for an interview. Section 5.0 Examination 5.1 By Examination for Allopathic & Osteopathic Physicians: Applicants shall be required to pass such examination as the Board deems necessary to test the applicant's knowledge and skills to practice medicine in this state pursuant to the statutory and regulatory provisions herein. 5.1.1 For written examinations, the Board requires applicants to successfully pass the following: (1) The National Board of Allopathic or Osteopathic Medical Examination (NBME) or (NBOME); or (2) The Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX examination); (3) The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE); (4) The Licentiate Medical Council of Canada (LMCC); (5) Or any combination of examinations acceptable to the Board and as recommended by the United States Medical Licensing Examination; (6) The passing score for each section of the above examinations must be 75 or more (The Board does not accept averaging of the separate components.) (7) FLEX – If taken between 1 January 1972 and 1 July 1985, the applicant must have successfully passed a FLEX in one sitting and have attained a passing score of seventy-five (75) or more. (FLEX weighted average). If taken after 1 July 1985 each component of the FLEX must be passed with a score of (75) or more. (There is no overall averaging of grades from Part I and Part II). (8) Applicants for licensure in Rhode Island must pass each section of the required examination by the 5th attempt. In the event of a fifth failure, opportunity for re- examination(s) shall be subject to the applicant’s completion of additional requirements as recommended by the Board on a case by case basis. Section 6.0 Continuing Education 7 6.1 Every physician licensed to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine in Rhode Island under the provisions of the Act and the regulations herein, shall on or before the first day of June of every third year after the 1999 registration, apply to the Board for certification of triennial registration of continuing allopathic or osteopathic medical education. 6.2 The application shall include evidence satisfactory to the Board of completion of a prescribed program of continuing medical education established by the appropriate medical or osteopathic society, and approved by the Board. 6.2.1 Said continuing medical education shall include a minimum of two hours related to current information on universal precautions, infection control, modes of transmission, OSHA and other regulatory requirements. 6.3 The Board, may extend for only one (1) six (6) month period such educational requirements pursuant to the provisions of section 5-37-2.1 of the General Laws. 6.4 It shall be the sole responsibility of the individual physician to obtain documentation from the approved sponsoring or co-sponsoring organizations, agencies or other, of his or her participation in a learning experience and the number of dated credits earned. 6.4.1 Those documents must be safeguarded, for a period of three (3) years, by the physician for review by the Board if required. Only a summary list of those documents, not the documents themselves, shall be submitted with the application for renewal of the certification. 6.5 Licensure renewal shall be denied to any applicant who fails to provide satisfactory evidence of continuing medical education as required herein. Section 7.0 Issuance and Renewal of License and Fee 7.1 Upon completion of the aforementioned requirements and upon submission of the initial licensure fee as determined by the Director in consultation with the Board, the Director may issue a license to those applicants found to have satisfactorily met all the requirements herein. Said license unless sooner suspended or revoked shall expire annually on the 1st of July of the following year. 7.2 Every physician licensed during the current year who intends to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine during the ensuing year shall file with the Board, before the 1st of July of each year, a renewal application, on such forms as the Chief Administrative Officer deems appropriate, and duly executed together with the renewal fee as determined annually by the Director in consultation with the Board, made payable by check or money order to the General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island on or before the first day of July in each year. Payment shall be postmarked on or before July 1. 7.3 Upon receipt of a renewal application and payment of fee, a license renewal, subject to the terms of the Act and the regulations herein, shall be issued, effective for the fiscal year, unless sooner suspended or revoked. 8 7.4 The licenses (registration certificates) of all allopathic or osteopathic physicians whose renewals, accompanied by the prescribed fee, are not filed on or before the first day of July shall be automatically lapsed. The Board may in its discretion and upon the payment by the physician of the current licensure (registration) fee as determined annually by the Director in consultation with the Board, plus an additional fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) reinstate any license (certificate) lapsed under the provisions of section 5-37-10 of the Act and section 7.4 herein. 7.5 Every person to whom a license to practice medicine in this state has been granted by the duly constituted licensing authority in the state and who intends to engage in the practice of medicine during the ensuing year, shall register his or her license by filing with the board such application duly executed together with such registration form and fee as established by the Director. 7.5.1 Any registrant who is registering to practice medicine between the period of July 2 and December 31 will pay the entire annual registration fee. 7.5.2 Any registrant who registers after December 31 of the renewal year will pay one-twelfth (1/12) of the annual fee for each of the remaining months in the year. 7.5.3 No pro rata fee schedule will apply to portions of a month. 7.6 A physician licensed in the state who shall have attained the age of not less than seventy (70) years as of July 1 of the year of licensure, who shall continue to maintain all current Continuing Medical Credits, all other requisites of licensure, and who shall have been a fully licensed physician in Rhode Island for not less that fifteen (15) years, shall, subject to all other provisions of applicable Rhode Island statute or regulation, be licensed upon payment of an annual fee equal to ten (10) percent of the annual fee established for that year for physician licensure. 7.7 Each physician licensed in Rhode Island shall be required to provide pertinent information to be included in an individual physician profile that shall be compiled by the Board and made available to the public, as described in section 5-37-9.2 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, as amended. This information will be collected through a questionnaire provided by the Board and completed by each licensed physician. 7.7.1 Through this questionnaire, each Rhode Island licensed physician shall provide the following information to the Board for inclusion in the profile: a) Name(s) of medical school(s) and date(s) of graduation; b) Graduate medical education; c) A description of any final disciplinary actions by licensing boards in other states within the most recent ten (10) years; 9 d) A description of any criminal convictions for felonies within the most recent ten (10) years. For the purpose of this subsection, a person shall be deemed to be convicted of a crime if he or she pleaded guilty or if he or she was found or adjudged guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction; or has been convicted of a felony by the entry of a plea of nolo contendere; e) A description of revocation or restriction of hospital privileges for reasons related to competence or quality of patient care that have been taken by the hospital’s governing body or any other official of the hospital after procedural due process has been afforded, or the resignation from or non-renewal of medical staff membership or the restriction of privileges at a hospital during the course of an investigation. Only cases which have occurred within the most recent ten (10) years shall be disclosed to the public; and, f) All medical malpractice court judgements and all medical malpractice arbitration awards in which payment was awarded to a complaining party since September 1, 1988 in any state in which the physician was licensed since September 1, 1988 or during the most recent ten (10) years, and all settlements of malpractice claims in which payment was made to a complaining party since September 1, 1988 or within the most recent ten (10) years in any state in which the physician was licensed since September 1, 1988 or within the most recent ten (10) years. 7.7.2 In order to update for the profile the information initially supplied to the Board by the physician at initial application for licensure, each physician shall provide the following information through the questionnaire: a) Specialty board certification; b) Number of years in practice in any state; c) Name(s) of the hospital(s) where the physician has privileges in any state; d) The location of the physician’s primary practice setting; and, e) The identification of any language translation services that may be available at the physician’s primary practice location. 7.7.3 The following information may be provided by the physician through the questionnaire distributed by the Board for inclusion in the profile: a) Appointment(s) to medical school faculty(ies) and indication as to whether the physician has responsibility for graduate medication education within the most recent ten (10) years; 10 b) Information regarding publications in peer-reviewed medical literature within the most recent ten (10) years; and, c) Information regarding professional or community service awards. Section 8.0 Refusal of License 8.1 The director at the direction of the Board, after due notice and hearing, in accordance with the procedures set forth in 5-37-5.2 to 5-37-6.2 of the General Laws, may refuse to grant the original license to any physician and/or applicant who: A. is not of good moral character; B. does not meet the requirements for licensure set forth in Chapter 5-37, regulations established by the Board, and/or regulations promulgated by the director who has violated any laws involving moral turpitude or affecting the ability of any physician and/or applicant to practice medicine; or C. has been found guilty in another state of conduct which if committed in Rhode Island would constitute unprofessional conduct, as defined in Section 5-37-5.1 and regulations adopted thereunder. Said director shall serve a copy of his or her decision or ruling upon any person whose original certificate has been refused. Section 9.0 Inactive List 9.1 A physician licensed to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine who does not intend to engage in the practice of medicine during any year, may upon written request to the Board have his or her name transferred to an inactive list and shall not be required to register annually or pay any fee as long as he or she remains inactive. During said period of inactive status, the physician may not practice medicine, as defined in section 1.11 of these regulations. 9.1.1 Any licensed physician whose name has been transferred to an inactive list pursuant to section 9.1 above, may apply to the Board for restoration of his or her license to active status to practice medicine. He or she must submit to the Board an application including a chronology of professional activities during his or her inactive status, a report of Continuing Medical Education for the preceding three (3) years, accompanied by the licensure fee as determined annually by the Director in consultation with the Board, made payable by check to the General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island. Furthermore, at the discretion of the Board, the applicant may be required to appear before the Board for an interview. Section 10.0 Unprofessional Conduct 11 10.1 The Director is authorized to deny or revoke any license to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine or otherwise discipline a licensee upon finding by the Board that the person is guilty of unprofessional conduct which shall include, but not be limited to those items, or combination thereof, listed in section 5- 37-5.1 of the General Laws. 10.2 Licenses that have been revoked by the Director shall not be eligible for consideration for re- instatement for a period of five (5) years. Re-instatement of revoked licenses shall be at the discretion of the Board. Section 11.0 Services 11.1 All aspects of mammography services shall be managed in accordance with the provisions of the Rules and Regulations Related to Quality Assurance Standards for Mammography (R23-1-MAM) of the Rhode Island Department of Health. Medical Records 11.2 Medical records and medical bills may be requested by the patient or an authorized representative. All medical record requests to physicians shall be made in writing or upon receipt of a properly executed Authorization for Release of Health Care Information. Reimbursement to the physician for copying of medical records shall not exceed 25 cents per page for the first 100 pages. After 100 pages, the fee shall not exceed 10 cents per page. A maximum fee of $15.00 may be charged for retrieval regardless of the amount of time necessary to retrieve the record. A special handling fee of an additional $10.00 may be charged if the records must be delivered to the patient or authorized representative within forty- eight (48) hours of the request. The physician may not require prior payment of charges for medical services as a condition for obtaining a copy of the medical record. The physician may not require prepayment of charges for duplicating or retrieving records as a condition prior to fulfilling the patient's request for the medical record if the request is for the purpose of continuity of care. Copying of X-rays or other documents not reproducible by photocopy shall be at the physician's actual cost plus reasonable fees for clerical service not to exceed $15.00. Charges shall not be made if the record is requested for immunization records required for school admission or by the applicant or beneficiary or individual representing an applicant or beneficiary for the purposes of supporting a claim or appeal under the provision of the Social Security Act or any federal or state needs-based benefit program such as Medical Assistance, RIte Care, Temporary Disability Insurance and Unemployment compensation. No fees shall be charged to an applicants for benefits in connection with a Civil Court Certification Proceeding or a claim under the Worker’s Compensation Act R.I.G.L. 28-29-38 as reflected in R.I.G.L. 23-17-19.1(16). Requested records must be provided within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the written request or signed authorization for records. Requests for medical records made by attorneys or a patient's estate on behalf of the patient shall be billed in the same restricted manner as described herein. Electronic 12 medical record downloading and copying shall be billed in the same manner and terms as described above. Should instances arise relating to the retrieval and copying of medical records which are not specifically covered by these regulations, a fee structure consistent with that described above shall apply. 11.3 Medical Records shall be stored by physicians or their authorized agents for a period of at least five (5) years unless otherwise required by law or regulation. 11.4 Medical Records shall be legible and contain the identity of the physician or physician extender and supervising physician by name and professional title who is responsible for rendering, ordering, supervising or billing each diagnostic or treatment procedure. The records must contain sufficient information to justify the course of treatment, including, but not limited to, patient histories; examination results; test results; records of drugs prescribed, dispensed, or administered; and reports of consultations and hospitalizations. Section 12.0 Patient Disclosure 12.1 In accordance with section 5-37-22 of the Rhode Island General Laws, as amended, physicians shall comply with the following provisions: 12.1.1 Any physician who is not a participant in a medical insurance plan shall post a notice, in a conspicuous place in his or her medical offices where it can be read by his or her patients, which shall read, in substance, as follows: "To my patients: I do not participate in a medical insurance plan. You should know that you will be responsible for the payment of my medical fees." Any physician who fails to post such a notice shall not be entitled to charge his or her patients any amount, for medical fees, in excess of that allowed had the physician participated in such a medical insurance plan. 12.1.2 Every physician shall disclose to patients eligible for Medicare, in advance of treatment, whether such physician accepts assignment under Medicare reimbursement as payment in full for medical services and/or treatment in the physician's office. Such disclosure shall be given by posting in each physician's office in a conspicuous place a summary of the physician's Medicare reimbursement policy. Any physician who fails to make the disclosure as required herein shall not be allowed to charge the patient in excess of the Medicare assignment amount for the medical procedure performed. 12.1.3 When a patient requests in writing that his or her medical records be transferred to another physician, the original physician shall promptly honor such request. The physician shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses (as defined in section 11.2 above) incurred in connection with copying such medical records. 13 12.1.4 Every physician shall, upon written request of any patient (or his or her authorized representative as defined in §5-37.3-3(1)) who has received health care services from such provider, at the option of the physician either permit such patient (or his or her authorized representative) to examine and copy the patient's confidential health care information or provide such patient (or his or her authorized representative) a summary of such information. If the physician decides to provide a summary and the patient is not satisfied with a summary, then the patient may request and the physician shall provide a copy of the entire record. At the time of such examination, copying or provision of summary information, the physician shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses (as defined above) in connection with copying such information. If in the professional judgment of the physician, it would be injurious to the mental or physical health of the patient to disclose certain confidential health care information to the patient, the physician is not required to disclose or provide a summary of such information to the patient, but shall upon written request of the patient (or his or her authorized representative) disclose such information to another physician designated by the patients. 12.1.5 Every physician who has ownership interest in health facilities, or laboratories, including any health care facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 17 of Title 23, any residential care/assisted living facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 17.4 of Title 23, and any adult day care program licensed or certified by the Director of the Department of Elderly Affairs, or any equipment not on the physician's premises shall, in writing, make full patient disclosure of his or her ownership interest in the facility or therapy prior to utilization. The written notice shall state that the patient has free choice either to use the physician's proprietary facility or therapy or may seek the needed medical services elsewhere. 12.1.6 A physician who practices medical acupuncture as a therapy shall provide full written disclosure to his/her patient receiving medical acupuncture that the physician’s qualifications to practice medical acupuncture are not equivalent to those of doctors of acupuncture licensed in accordance with Chapter 5-37.2 of the Rhode Island General Laws, as amended. Further, a physician integrating medical acupuncture into his/her medical practice shall disclose to the patient the type of pathway (i.e., pain management, primary care) in which the physician was trained. 14 PART II PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES/SEVERABILITY Section 13.0 Rules Governing Practices and Procedures 13.1 All hearings and reviews required under the provisions of the Act and rules and regulations herein, shall be held in accordance with the provisions of the rules and regulations of the Rhode Island Department of Health, entitled Rules and Regulations of the Department of Health Regarding Practices and Procedures Before the Department of Health and Access to Public Records of the Department of Health (R42-35-PP). Section 14.0 Severability 14.1 If any provision of the rules and regulations herein or the application to any facility or circumstances shall not effect the provisions or application of the rules and regulations which can be given effect, and to this end the provisions of the rules and regulations are declared to be severable. October 17, 2001 C:\My Documents\WPDOCS\BETZ\REGS\DRAFTS\physician-finalrr-jan00.doc