Elected leaders develop plan to ensure timely flu shots and immunizations are available

Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009 | 1:20 p.m.

Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford said today that as the result of extensive discussions over the last few days between the two Democratic leaders, the governor's office, the medical board and the attorney general, a plan has been developed to ensure that potentially life-saving flu shots and immunizations are available, while protecting patient safety.

Buckley and Horsford said immediate action is needed to avoid an imminent health care crisis in our state. In the last few days, a number of physicians have said they would no longer be able to provide flu shots or immunizations in their offices without clarification of the role of medical assistants.

The president of the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners, Charles Held, MD, is today issuing a statement clarifying that medical assistants can give shots if under the direct supervision of a licensed physician, as previously provided for by board policy. The policy states that the licensed physician is responsible for the medical assistant's training, competence and for all acts performed by the assistant.

In the statement, Dr. Held rescinded the statement issued by the board on September 30.

Dr. Held said the board will simultaneously pursue the rule-making process, beginning the process as quickly as possible.

"With the statement issued today, physicians and physician assistants can once again make full and beneficial use of their medical assistants for the benefit of Nevada's patients," Held said. "We will continue to work with our state's elected leaders to create a more detailed regulation as soon as we can."

In addition to these regulations issued by the medical board, the Legislative Health Care Committee will begin in-depth hearings at its November 4 meeting on any long-term statutory changes that might be needed when the legislature next convenes.

“These steps will ensure that patients are not denied flu shots and that children will get their needed immunizations in a safe and timely manner,” Buckley and Horsford said.