BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2062
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2062 (Roger Hernández)
As Amended May 1, 2014
Majority vote
HEALTH 19-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Pan, Maienschein, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, |
| |Ammiano, Rendon, Bonilla, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Bonta, Chávez, Chesbro, | |Calderon, Campos, |
| |Gomez, Gonzalez, | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, |
| |Roger Hernández, | |Holden, Jones, Linder, |
| |Lowenthal, Mansoor, | |Pan, Quirk, |
| |Nazarian, Waldron, | |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner, |
| |Patterson, Ridley-Thomas, | |Weber |
| |Wagner, Wieckowski | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Prohibits a health facility from employing a surgical
technologist unless they meet specific training requirements,
with exceptions. Specifically, this bill :
1)Prohibits a health facility from employing a surgical
technologist or contracting with an individual to practice
surgical technology at the facility unless the individual
meets either of the following requirements:
a) Completes either: i) an accredited surgical technology
educational program and holds and maintains certification
as a surgical technologist; or, ii) completes a training
program for surgical technology provided by the United
States (U.S.) military or Public Health Service and holds
and maintains certification as a surgical technologist; or,
b) Provides evidence that the individual was employed to
practice surgical technology in a health facility prior to
January 1, 2015.
2)Allows a health facility to employ a surgical technologist or
contract with an individual to practice surgical technology
during the 12-month period immediately following the
individual's completion of an educational or training program,
but specifies that the employment or contract will cease at
AB 2062
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the end of the 12 months unless the individual becomes
certified.
3)Allows a health facility to employ or contract with a surgical
technologist who does not meet the requirements in 1) above,
if the health facility is unable to employ or contract with a
sufficient number of qualified surgical technologists after a
diligent and thorough effort has been made and requires the
facility to make and retain a record of those efforts.
4)Clarifies that the provisions of this bill do not prohibit a
licensed health care practitioner from performing tasks that
fall within the practice of surgical technology if the
individual is acting within the scope of practice of his or
her license.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, minor and absorbable costs to the Department of
Public Health Licensing and Certification division to verify
facilities are complying with the new requirement with respect
to surgical technologists they employ.
COMMENTS : According to the author, surgical technologists are
the only member of the surgical team with no required, mandated
minimum level of education, training, or certification. The
author states that surgical technologists are key members of the
surgical team in any operating room responsible for the
environmental disinfection, safety, and efficiency and that this
is important because surgical site infections (SSIs)
significantly drive up health care costs. The author asserts
that nationwide, hospital costs are estimated at $20,785 per
SSI, accounting for $3.3 billion in total annual U.S. health
care costs and that this bill will improve patient care safety
while lowering health care costs by raising the education and
training standards for surgical technologists in California.
Currently eight states have minimum education and certification
requirements for surgical technologists: Idaho, Indiana,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee,
and Texas. Data from Virginia indicates that facilities
utilizing certified surgical technologists reduced the costs
associated with extended stays due to SSIs by 11%.
The California State Council of the Service Employees
International Union (SEIU California) is the sponsor of this
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bill and states, currently there are no training or educational
standards for surgical technologists in California, and this
bill requires a newly hired surgical technologist to attend an
accredited training program and obtain a certification from a
nationally accredited organization. SEIU California asserts
that an accredited training program gives surgical technologists
an unparalleled understanding of how to maintain a sterile field
and allows them to anticipate the needs of the surgical team.
SEIU California further argues that accredited training programs
and certification along with the experience of the current
workforce will contribute to lower the rates of SSIs and adverse
surgical events, improving patient safety.
There is no opposition to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Lara Flynn / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097
FN: 0003505