Washington Administrative Code

A military spouse or state registered domestic partner of a military person may receive a temporary practice permit while completing any specific additional requirements that are not related to training or practice standards for the profession. The board adopts the procedural rul…

A licensed optometrist may perform advanced procedures as provided by RCW 18.53.010 only after being issued a license endorsement to perform advanced procedures by the secretary. The secretary shall issue an endorsement to perform advanced procedures to a licensed optometrist who…

A contact lens prescription is a written, signed order from an optometrist to another optometrist, physician, or dispensing optician describing optical and physical characteristics of the contact lenses to be dispensed. It shall be based upon a comprehensive vision and eye health…

(1) An optometrist may obtain an inactive credential. Refer to the requirements of chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 4.(2) To return to active practice from inactive practice, an optometrist must:(a) Meet the requirements of RCW 18.53.010 (2)(a), (b), (c), and (d);(b) Provide verification…

(1) To obtain a retired active credential, an optometrist must comply with chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 5.(2) An optometrist with a retired active license may not receive compensation for vision care services.(3) An optometrist with a retired active license must renew the license eve…

(1) The following definitions apply to this section:(a) "Patient" means a person who has received professional services from the optometrist within the last three years and whose patient record has not been transferred to another optometrist or health care professional.A referral…

The board of optometry adopts the model procedural rules for adjudicative proceedings of the department of health contained in chapter 246-11 WAC.[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.54.070, 18.130.050(1). WSR 95-04-084, § 246-851-560, filed 1/31/95, effective 3/3/95.]

(1) To qualify for certification to use or prescribe drugs administered orally for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, a licensed optometrist must provide documentation that he or she:(a) Is certified to use or prescribe topical drugs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes under…

Pursuant to RCW 18.53.010 (2) and (7), the optometry board adopts the following drug formulary of oral Schedule II hydrocodone combination products, Schedule III through V controlled substances, legend drugs, and injectable drugs for diagnostic, therapeutic, or mitigation purpose…

Nothing in these guidelines should be construed to restrict the recommendation of over-the-counter medications, vitamins, or supplements, nor restrict the ordering of any radiologic or laboratory testing necessary to the diagnosis of any eye related disease that is within the sco…

(1) To qualify for certification to administer epinephrine by injection for anaphylactic shock, licensed optometrists must provide documentation that he or she:(a) Is certified to use or prescribe topical drugs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes under WAC 246-851-400 and has…

The board of optometry and pharmacy quality assurance commission will use a joint process to determine changes to the oral drug list that includes a means to resolve disagreements.(1) Categories of medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration may be added to WAC 246-8…

(1) Licenses must be renewed every year on the practitioner's birthday as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2.(2) The following nonrefundable fees will be charged:Title of FeeFeeOriginal application Application$130.00 Out-of-state seminar100.00 UW online access fee (HEAL-WA)16…

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:(1) "Contact lens" means any contact lens for which state or federal law requires a prescription including noncorrective or plano contact lenses.(2) "Initial prescription" means a written directive from a prescribe…

(1) Prescribers, including ophthalmologists and optometrists, under chapters 18.53, 18.57, or 18.71 RCW:(a) When performing an eye examination including the determination of the refractive condition of the eye, shall provide the patient a copy of the initial prescription at the c…

(1) An initial prescription from a prescriber for corrective lenses shall at a minimum include:(a) Patient name.(b) Prescriber's name, address, professional license number, phone number and/or facsimile number.(c) Spectacle prescription.(d) Prescription expiration date.(e) Date o…

(1) The practitioner who performs the contact lens fitting shall provide the contact lens specifications to a prescriber designated by the patient for the purpose of the follow up and final evaluation. The contact lens specification shall be transmitted to the designated practiti…

(1) Practitioners shall maintain patient records for a minimum of five years. The records shall include the following which adequately reflects the level of care provided by the practitioners:(a) The initial written prescription.(b) Dioptric power.(c) Lens material, brand name an…

An applicant for licensure as an osteopathic physician must successfully pass:(1) Parts I, II, and III of the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) or Parts I, II, and III of the exam administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examine…

(1) The board of osteopathic medicine and surgery, upon review of an application for licensure pursuant to RCW 18.57.130 or reinstatement of an inactive license, may require an applicant to pass a special purpose examination, e.g., SPEX, and/or any other examination deemed approp…

The board accepts the following training programs.(1) Nationally approved one-year internship programs;(2) The first year of a residency program approved by the American Osteopathic Association, the American Medical Association or by their recognized affiliate residency accrediti…

An osteopathic physician may obtain an inactive credential. Refer to the requirements of chapter 246-12 WAC.[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.57.005 and 43.70.041. WSR 24-21-095, s 246-853-045, filed 10/17/24, effective 11/17/24. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.280. WSR 98-05-060, § 24…

The following acts and practices are unethical and unprofessional conduct warranting appropriate disciplinary action:(1) The division or "splitting" of fees with other professionals or nonprofessionals as prohibited by chapter 19.68 RCW. Specifically, a person authorized by this …

A licensed osteopathic physician, except for osteopathic physicians holding a post-graduate training limited license, must complete a board-approved one-time training that is at least six hours long in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. This training must be completed…

For those licensed osteopathic physicians unable to satisfy the one hundred fifty hour continuing professional education requirement by meeting the certification options in WAC 246-853-080(2), the following are categories of creditable continuing medical education activities appr…

(1) An osteopathic physician must complete two hours of health equity continuing education training every four years as described in WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830.(2) The two hours of health equity continuing education an osteopathic physician completes count toward meeting a…

(1) Licensed osteopathic physicians and surgeons must complete 150 hours of creditable continuing medical education (CME) every three years in accordance with chapter 246-12 WAC.(2) To satisfy the CME requirements in subsection (1) of this section, a licensed osteopathic physicia…

For the purposes of meeting the qualifications under RCW 18.57.020, the board approves those colleges or schools of osteopathic medicine accredited by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.57.005, 18.57.0…

(1) It will not be necessary for a physician to inquire into the prior approval of any continuing medical education. The board will accept any continuing professional education that reasonably falls within these regulations and relies upon each individual physician's integrity in…

An osteopathic physician shall not use or allow to be used any form of public communications or advertising connected with his or her profession or in his or her professional capacity as an osteopathic physician which:(1) Is false, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading;(2) Uses tes…

To facilitate the process of informed selection of a physician by potential patients, a physician may publish or advertise the following information, provided that the information disclosed by the physician in such publication or advertisement complies with all other ethical stan…

Every osteopathic physician shall, within sixty days after settlement or judgment, notify the board of any and all malpractice settlements or judgments in excess of twenty thousand dollars as a result of a claim or action for damages alleged to have been caused by a physician's i…

A temporary permit to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery may be issued to an individual licensed in another state that has substantially equivalent licensing standards to those in Washington.(1) The temporary permit may be issued upon receipt of:(a) Documentation from the …

A military spouse or state registered domestic partner of a military person may receive a temporary practice permit while completing any specific additional requirements that are not related to training or practice standards for osteopathic physicians and surgeons. The board adop…

Osteopathic physician and surgeon licensees must comply with the uniform mandatory reporting rules found in WAC 246-16-200 through 246-16-270.[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.57.005, 18.130.050, and 18.340.020. WSR 20-09-025, § 246-853-140, filed 4/6/20, effective 5/7/20. Statutory A…

(1) If the license has expired for three years or less, the osteopathic physician must meet the requirements of chapter 246-12 WAC.(2) If the license has expired for over three years, and the osteopathic physician has been in active practice in another United States jurisdiction,…

(1) A physician shall not prescribe, administer or dispense anabolic steroids, growth hormones, testosterone or its analogs, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), other hormones, or any form of autotransfusion for the purpose of enhancing athletic ability and/or for nontherapeutic …

(1) To obtain a retired active license an osteopathic physician must comply with chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 5, excluding WAC 246-12-120 (2)(c) and (d).(2) An osteopathic physician with a retired active license may not receive compensation for health care services.(3) An osteopathic…

(1) An osteopathic physician and surgeon who has not actively practiced medicine for a period of at least three years in any jurisdiction in the United States must fulfill one of the following:(a) Successfully pass a board approved competency evaluation;(b) Successfully pass a bo…

It is the intent of the legislature that the board of osteopathic medicine and surgery seek ways to identify and support the rehabilitation of osteopathic physicians and surgeons where practice or competency may be impaired due to an applicable impairing health condition. The leg…

The definitions in this section apply throughout WAC 246-853-290 through 243-853-320 and 243-853-990 unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Aftercare" means that period of time after intensive treatment that provides the osteopathic physician and the osteopathic physi…

The board will approve the monitoring program to facilitate the recovery of osteopathic physicians. The board will enter into a contract with the monitoring program on an annual basis.(1) A monitoring program may provide evaluations or treatment, or both to the participating oste…

(1) The osteopathic physician who has been investigated by the board may accept board referral into the monitoring program. This may occur as a result of disciplinary action.(a) The osteopathic physician shall undergo a complete physical and psychosocial evaluation before enterin…

(1) The treatment and pretreatment records of license holders referred to or voluntarily participating in approved monitoring programs shall be confidential, shall be exempt from RCW 42.17.250 through 42.17.450 and shall not be subject to discovery by subpoena or admissible as ev…

(1) Any candidate who takes and does not pass the osteopathic practices and principles examination, may request review of the results of the examination by the Washington state board of osteopathic medicine and surgery.(a) The board will not modify examination results unless the …

Any applicant who fails to follow written or oral instructions relative to the conduct of the examination, is observed talking or attempting to give or receive information, or use unauthorized materials during any portion of the examination will be terminated from the examination…

The board adopts the model procedural rules for adjudicative proceedings as adopted by the department of health and contained in chapter 246-11 WAC, including subsequent amendments.[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.57.005 and 18.130.050. WSR 94-15-068, § 246-853-500, filed 7/19/94, ef…

(1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:(a) "Patient" means a person who is receiving health care or treatment, or has received health care or treatment without a termination of the osteopathic physician-p…

(1) An osteopathic physician commits unprofessional conduct if the osteopathic physician abuses a patient or key third party. "Osteopathic physician," "patient" and "key third party" are defined in WAC 246-853-600. An osteopathic physician abuses a patient when he or she:(a) Make…

(1) For the purposes of this section, laser, light, radiofrequency, and plasma (LLRP) devices are medical devices that:(a) Use a laser, noncoherent light, intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, or plasma to topically penetrate skin and alter human tissue, or use high frequency ult…