The bill amends various sections of Florida Statutes related to health care practitioner specialty titles and designations. It revises legislative findings to emphasize the importance of regulating health professions to protect public health, safety, and welfare. The bill introduces new provisions under section 456.65, which prohibits health care practitioners not licensed as physicians or osteopathic physicians from using specific specialist titles unless authorized. It also establishes that such unauthorized use constitutes unlicensed practice, allowing the Department of Health to pursue remedies for violations. Additionally, the bill specifies that licensed practitioners may use titles and designations authorized by their respective practice acts and outlines the conditions under which certain titles can be used by various health care professionals.

Furthermore, the bill amends sections 458.3312 and 459.0152 to clarify that physicians and osteopathic physicians cannot claim to be board-certified specialists unless they have received formal recognition from an approved certifying agency. The bill lists specific specialist titles that are subject to this requirement and allows the respective boards to adopt additional rules regarding specialist titles. The effective date for the bill is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 172 Filed: 456.003, 458.3312, 459.0152
S 172 c1: 456.003, 458.3312, 459.0152
S 172 c2: 456.003, 456.065, 458.3312, 459.0152