Present law prohibits certain facilities from employing anesthesiologists, emergency department physicians, pathologists, and radiologists, including (i) a hospital or an affiliate of a hospital; (ii) a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic; and (iii) a renal dialysis clinic or an affiliate of a renal dialysis clinic. However, present law authorizes a research hospital to employ radiologists, anesthesiologists, or pathologists, as long as 50% or more of the inpatients during the previous calendar year were treated pursuant to research protocols. In addition, present law authorizes a hospital to employ an emergency physician to treat patients at a satellite emergency department, primary care clinic, or urgent care clinic, if certain factors are met, including, if the satellite department or clinic is located in a county that has a population of less than 27,000, which includes Benton, Bledsoe, Cannon, Chester, Clay, Crockett, Decatur, DeKalb, Fentress, Grainger, Grundy, Hancock, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Johnson, Lake, Lauderdale, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Meigs, Moore, Morgan, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Scott, Sequatchie, Smith, Stewart, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, and Wayne counties. This bill removes all of these provisions. This bill, instead, provides that a particular employment relationship for the employment of a radiologist, anesthesiologist, pathologist, or emergency physician is not required by a hospital licensed by this state or an affiliate of a hospital. As used in this bill, an "employment relationship" includes employment by direct means and employment through an agreement with a third party.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 63-6-204, 63-6-204(d), 63-6-204(f)(1), 63-6-204(f)(4)(B)(ii), 63-6-204(g)(1), 63-6-204(h)(5)(A), 63-9-104(f)(3), 63-9-104, 68-11-205, 68-11-205(b)(1), 68-11-205(c)(1)