GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

S	2 

SENATE BILL 951
Health Care Committee Substitute Adopted 4/21/99

Short Title:  Health Care Workers/ID Badge.	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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Referred to: 

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April 14, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROTECT PATIENTS' RIGHTS BY REQUIRING NAME BADGES OR OTHER IDENTIFICATION FOR HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following new Article to read:
"ARTICLE 37.
"Health Care Practitioner Identification.
"§ 90-640. Identification badges required.
(a)	For purposes of this section, 'health care practitioner' means an individual who is licensed, certified, or registered to engage in the practice of medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, or any related occupation involving the direct provision of health care to patients.
(b)	When providing health care to a patient, a health care practitioner shall wear a badge or other form of identification displaying in readily visible type the individual's name and the license, certification, or registration held by the practitioner.  If the identity of the individual's license, certification, or registration is commonly expressed by an abbreviation rather than by full title, that abbreviation may be used on the badge or other identification.
(c)	The badge or other form of identification is not required to be worn if the patient is being seen in the health care practitioner's office and, the name and license of the practitioner can be readily determined by the patient from a posted license, a sign in the office, a brochure provided to patients, or otherwise.
(d)	Each licensing board or other regulatory authority for health care practitioners may adopt rules for exemptions from wearing a badge or other form of identification, or for allowing use of the practitioner's first name only, when necessary for the health care practitioner's safety or for therapeutic concerns.