As used in this article:

(1) "Anesthesiologist" means a physician who has successfully completed an approved anesthesiology training program including, but not limited to, a program approved by the Accreditation Committee on Graduate Medical Education, American Osteopathic Association, or its equivalent or successor.

(2) "Anesthesiologist's assistant" means an allied health graduate of an accredited anesthesiologist's assistant program who is currently certified by the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist's Assistants and who works under the direct supervision of an anesthesiologist who is immediately available in the operating suite and is physically present during the most demanding portions of the anesthetic including, but not limited to, induction and emergence.

(3) "Board" means the Board of Medical Examiners of South Carolina.

(4) "Committee" means the Anesthesiologist's Assistant Committee as established by this article as an advisory committee responsible to the board.

(5) "NCCAA" means the National Commission on Certification of Anesthesiologist's Assistants, Inc., the agency recognized to examine and evaluate the education of anesthesiologist's assistants, or its successor organization as recognized by the board.

(6) "Sponsoring anesthesiologist" means the physician specialist in anesthesiology who signs the anesthesiologist's assistant's application for licensure. The sponsoring anesthesiologist must be a South Carolina licensed physician currently possessing an active, unrestricted license to practice medicine in this State who practices in the medical specialty of anesthesiology, approved by the Accreditation Committee on Graduate Medical Education, or its equivalent or successor. The sponsoring anesthesiologist also may be the supervising anesthesiologist.

(7) "Supervising anesthesiologist" means a South Carolina licensed physician currently possessing an active, unrestricted license to practice medicine in South Carolina who practices in the medical specialty of anesthesiology and has successfully completed a residency in anesthesiology, approved by the Accreditation Committee on Graduate Medical Education, American Osteopathic Association, or its equivalent or successor.

(8) "Supervision" means medically directing and accepting responsibility for the anesthesia services rendered by an anesthesiologist's assistant in a manner approved by the board. The supervising anesthesiologist must be in the hospital and in the anesthetizing or operative area such that he can be immediately available to participate directly in the care of the patient with whom the anesthesiologist's assistant and the anesthesiologist are jointly involved.

HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 57, Section 1; 2006 Act No. 321, Sections 1, 7.