Sec. 17412.

(1) Subject to subsection (2), a licensee may administer a diagnostic pharmaceutical agent in the course of his or her practice solely for the purposes of determining the refractive, muscular, or functional origin of sources of visual discomfort or difficulty and detecting abnormalities which may be evidence of disease if the licensee is certified by the board as being qualified to administer diagnostic pharmaceutical agents pursuant to this section.

(2) The board shall certify a licensee as qualified to administer diagnostic pharmaceutical agents if the licensee meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Has successfully completed 60 classroom hours of study in general and clinical pharmacology as it relates to the practice of optometry, with particular emphasis on the use of diagnostic pharmaceutical agents for examination purposes. Not less than 30 of the 60 classroom hours shall be in ocular pharmacology and shall emphasize the systemic effects of and reactions to diagnostic pharmaceutical agents, including the emergency management and referral of any adverse reactions that may occur. The course of study shall be approved by the board, and shall be offered by a school or college of optometry that is recognized by the board as fully accredited. The course of study shall be completed before taking the examination required by this section.

(b) Has successfully completed an examination approved by the board on the subject of general and ocular pharmacology as it relates to the practice of optometry with particular emphasis on the use of diagnostic pharmaceutical agents, including emergency management and referral of any adverse reactions that may occur.

(c) Has successfully completed a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation approved by the department of public health and offered or approved by the red cross, American heart association, an accredited hospital, or a comparable organization or institution.

(d) Has established an emergency plan for the management and referral to appropriate medical services of patients who experience adverse drug reactions resulting from the application of diagnostic pharmaceutical agents. The plan shall be approved by the board and shall, at a minimum, require the optometrist to do all of the following:

(i) Refer patients who notify the optometrist of an adverse drug reaction to appropriate medical specialists or facilities.

(ii) Routinely advise each patient to immediately contact the optometrist if the patient experiences an adverse drug reaction.

(iii) Place in the patient's permanent record information describing any adverse drug reaction experienced by the patient and the date and time that any referral was made.

(iv) Include in the plan the names of not less than 3 physicians, physician clinics, or hospitals to whom the optometrist will refer patients who experience an adverse drug reaction, at least 1 of which is skilled or specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye. However, if a patient being treated by the optometrist has a primary care physician, the optometrist may substitute the patient's primary care physician for a physician named in the plan, but shall not substitute the patient's primary care physician for a physician named in the plan who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye.

(3) The course of study and examination required by subsection (2)(a) and (b) shall be completed before certification, except that the board may certify applicants who have graduated from a school of optometry recognized by the board as accredited within the 5 years immediately preceding April 12, 1984, if the school's curriculum includes a course of study and examination meeting the requirements of subsection (2)(a) and (b).

History: Add. 1984, Act 42, Eff. Apr. 12, 1984 ;-- Am. 1993, Act 79, Eff. Apr. 1, 1994 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 384, Eff. Mar 30, 1995 Popular Name: Act 368