STAND. COM. REP. NO. 626

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 324

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 324, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the definition of the practice of medicine in the Hawaii Revised Statutes to provide uniformity of practice for both medical physicians and osteopathic physicians.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Regulated Industries Complaints Office, and Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i.

 

     Your Committee finds that the practice of medicine is no longer limited to the treatment of disease and now includes telehealth, medical imaging, and preventing mental and physical diseases, conditions, injuries, and other ailments.  Expanding this scope of conduct will assist the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in their enforcement responsibilities by providing tangible grounds on which to evaluate physician compliance with licensure laws.  Your Committee further finds that the definition of the practice of medicine has not been amended since 2008.  This measure appropriately updates the definition and brings it into parity with the current practice of medicine, thereby providing uniformity between medical doctors and osteopathic doctors who receive the same education and training.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 324, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

 

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair