Sec 32-1800. Definitions

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Active license" means a valid license to practice medicine and includes the license of a licensee who has been placed on probation or on whose license the board has placed restrictions.

2. "Address of record" means either:

(a) The address where a person who is regulated pursuant to this chapter practices medicine or is otherwise employed.

(b) The residential address of a person who is regulated pursuant to this chapter if that person has made a written request to the board that the board use that address as the address of record.

3. "Adequate records" means legible medical records containing, at a minimum, sufficient information to identify the patient, support the diagnosis, justify the treatment, accurately document the results, indicate advice and cautionary warnings provided to the patient and provide sufficient information for another licensed health care practitioner to assume continuity of the patient's care at any point in the course of treatment.

4. "Administrative warning" means a disciplinary action by the board in the form of a written warning to a physician of a violation of this chapter involving patient care that the board determines falls below the community standard.

5. "Approved postgraduate training program" means that an applicant for licensure successfully completed training when the hospital or other facility in which the training occurred was approved for a postgraduate internship, residency or fellowship by the American osteopathic association or by the accreditation council for graduate medical education.

6. "Approved school of osteopathic medicine" means a school or college offering a course of study that, on successful completion, results in the awarding of the degree of doctor of osteopathy and whose course of study has been approved or accredited by the American osteopathic association.

7. "Board" means the Arizona board of osteopathic examiners in medicine and surgery.

8. "Decree of censure" means a formal written reprimand by the board of a physician for a violation of this chapter that constitutes a disciplinary action against a physician's license.

9. "Direct supervision" means that a physician is within the same room or office suite as the unlicensed person in order to be available for consultation regarding those tasks the unlicensed person performs pursuant to section 32-1859.

10. "Dispense" means the delivery by a physician of a prescription drug or device to a patient, except for samples packaged for individual use by licensed manufacturers or repackagers of drugs, and includes the prescribing, administering, packaging, labeling and security necessary to prepare and safeguard the drug or device for delivery.

11. "Doctor of osteopathy" means a person who holds a license, registration or permit to practice medicine pursuant to this chapter.

12. "Immediate family" means the spouse, natural or adopted children, father, mother, brothers and sisters of the physician and the natural and adopted children, father, mother, brothers and sisters of the physician's spouse.

13. "Inappropriate fee" means a fee that is not supported by documentation of time, complexity or extreme skill required to perform the service.

14. "Investigative hearing" means a meeting between the board and a physician to discuss issues set forth in the investigative hearing notice and during which the board may hear statements from board staff, the complainant, the physician and witnesses, if any.

15. "Letter of concern" means an advisory letter to notify a physician that while there is insufficient evidence to support disciplinary action against the physician's license there is sufficient evidence for the board to notify the physician of its concern.

16. "Limited license" means a license that restricts the scope and setting of a licensee's practice.

17. "Medical assistant" means an unlicensed person who has completed an educational program approved by the board, who assists in a medical practice under the supervision of a doctor of osteopathic medicine and who performs delegated procedures commensurate with the assistant's education and training but who does not diagnose, interpret, design or modify established treatment programs or violate any statute.

18. "Medicine" means osteopathic medicine as practiced by a person who receives a degree of doctor of osteopathy.

19. "Physician" means a doctor of osteopathy who holds a license, a permit or a locum tenens registration to practice osteopathic medicine pursuant to this chapter.

20. "Practice of medicine" or "practice of osteopathic medicine" means all of the following:

(a) To examine, diagnose, treat, prescribe for, palliate, prevent or correct human diseases, injuries, ailments, infirmities and deformities, physical or mental conditions, real or imaginary, by the use of drugs, surgery, manipulation, electricity or any physical, mechanical or other means as provided by this chapter.

(b) Suggesting, recommending, prescribing or administering any form of treatment, operation or healing for the intended palliation, relief or cure of any physical or mental disease, ailment, injury, condition or defect.

(c) The practice of osteopathic medicine alone or the practice of osteopathic surgery or osteopathic manipulative therapy, or any combination of either practice.

21. "Specialist" means a physician who has successfully completed postdoctoral training in an approved postgraduate training program, an approved preceptorship or an approved residency or who is board certified by a specialty board approved by the board.

22. "Subscription provider of health care" means an entity that, through contractual agreement, is responsible for the payment, in whole or in part, of debts incurred by a person for medical or other health care services.