Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND LICENSING
Chapter 246-853 - Osteopathic physicians and surgeons
Section 246-853-300 - Definitions used relative to substance abuse monitoring

(1) "Approved substance abuse monitoring program" or "approved monitoring program" is a program the board has determined meets the requirements of the law and rules established by the board, according to the Washington Administrative Code, which enters into a contract with osteopathic practitioners who have substance abuse problems. The approved substance abuse monitoring program oversees compliance of the osteopathic practitioner's recovery activities as required by the board. Substance abuse monitoring programs may provide evaluation and/or treatment to participating osteopathic practitioners.

(2) "Impaired osteopathic practitioner" means an osteopathic physician and surgeon who is unable to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery with judgment, skill, competence, or safety due to chemical dependence, mental illness, the aging process, loss of motor skills, or any other mental or physical condition.

(3) "Contract" is a comprehensive, structured agreement between the recovering osteopathic practitioner and the approved monitoring program wherein the osteopathic practitioner consents to comply with the monitoring program and the required components for the osteopathic practitioner's recovery activity.

(4) "Approved treatment facility" is a facility approved by the bureau of alcohol and substance abuse, department of social and health services as specified in RCW 18.130.175.

(5) "Chemical dependence/substance abuse" means a chronic progressive illness which involves the use of alcohol and/or other drugs to a degree that it interferes in the functional life of the registrant/licensee, as manifested by health, family, job (professional services), legal, financial, or emotional problems.

(6) "Drug" means a chemical substance alone or in combination, including alcohol.

(7) "Aftercare" means that period of time after intensive treatment that provides the osteopathic practitioner and the osteopathic practitioner's family with group, or individualized counseling sessions, discussions with other families, ongoing contact and participation in self-help groups, and ongoing continued support of treatment program staff.

(8) "Practitioner support group" is a group of osteopathic practitioners and/or other health care professionals meeting regularly to support the recovery of its members. The group provides a confidential setting with a trained and experienced facilitator in which participants may safely discuss drug diversion, licensure issues, return to work, and other professional issues related to recovery.

(9) "Twelve-step groups" are groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and similar organizations.

(10) "Random drug screens" are laboratory tests to detect the presence of drugs of abuse in body fluids which are performed at irregular intervals not known in advance by the person to be tested. The collection of the body fluids must be observed by a treatment or health care professional or other board or monitoring program-approved observer.

(11) "Recovering" means that a chemically dependent osteopathic practitioner is in compliance with a treatment plan of rehabilitation in accordance with criteria established by an approved treatment facility and an approved substance abuse monitoring program.

(12) "Rehabilitation" means the process of restoring a chemically dependent osteopathic practitioner to a level of professional performance consistent with public health and safety.

(13) "Reinstatement" means the process whereby a recovering os-teopathic practitioner is permitted to resume the practice of osteo-pathic medicine and surgery.