HOUSE  .   .   .   .   .   .   .  No. 5420

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, December 12, 2022.                         

The committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Senate Bill regulating central service technicians (Senate, No. 2933), reports recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text contained in House document numbered 5420.

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For the committee,

AARON MICHLEWITZ.

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5420

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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By striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the following:–
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 245 (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

“Central service technician”, any person who decontaminates, inspects, assembles, packages or sterilizes reusable medical instruments or devices used by a health care facility.

“Health care facility”, a “hospital” as defined in section 52 or a “rural hospital” as defined in said section 52 or surgical services that are provided by a free-standing ambulatory surgery center, whether inpatient or outpatient, conducted for charity or for profit and whether or not subject to section 25C; provided, however, that “health care facility” shall not include a dental office or private office of a health care practitioner.

“Health care practitioner”, any person licensed or registered under this chapter or chapter 112, including an intern, resident, fellow or medical officer who conducts or assists with the performance of surgery.

(b) A health care facility shall not employ or otherwise contract with a central service technician unless such person:

(1) successfully passed a nationally accredited central service exam for central service technicians, and holds and maintains not less than 1 of the following credentials administered by a nationally accredited central service technician credentialing organization: (i) the certified registered central service technician credential; (ii) the certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential; or (iii) a credential that is substantially equivalent to the credential in clause (i) or clause (ii) as determined by the department; or

(2) provides evidence to a health care facility of being employed or contracted for the services of a central service technician by a health care facility on or before December 31, 2022.

(c) A central service technician who does not meet the requirements of paragraph (2) of subsection (b) shall have 18 months from the date of hire to obtain either: (i) the certified registered central service technician credential; or (ii) the certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential.

(d) A central service technician employed by or who contracts with a health care facility and who qualifies under paragraphs (1) or (2) of subsection (b) shall annually complete 10 hours of continuing education credits in the area related to the functions of a central service technician.

(e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the following persons from performing the tasks or functions of a central service technician:

(i) a health care practitioner; or

(ii) a student or intern performing the functions of a central service technician under the direct supervision of a health care practitioner as part of the student’s or intern’s training or internship.

(f) A health care facility shall, upon the written request of a central service technician, verify, in writing, the central service technician’s dates of employment or the contract period during which the central service technician provided services to the health care facility.

(g) The department shall promulgate regulations to carry out this section.

SECTION 2. The commissioner of the department of public health shall promulgate regulations pursuant to subsection (g) of section 245 of chapter 111 of the General Laws not later than 90 days after the effective date of this act.

SECTION 3. Section 1 shall take effect 180 days after the effective date of this act.