0001|                       HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 34
    |
0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
    |
0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
    |
0004|                            JOHN A. HEATON
    |
0005|     
    |
0006|                                   
    |
0007|     
    |
0008|             FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE REFORM COMMITTEE
    |
0009|     
    |
0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
    |
0011|     REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION TO DEVELOP
    |
0012|     A PROCESS FOR THE OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW OF HEALTH
    |
0013|     PROFESSIONALS' SCOPE OF PRACTICE CHANGES.
    |
0014|     
    |
0015|          WHEREAS, appropriately licensed health professionals are
    |
0016|     central to New Mexico's health care delivery system and the
    |
0017|     health and well-being of New Mexicans; and
    |
0018|          WHEREAS, the scope of practice of a given health
    |
0019|     profession may impact the geographic availability of certain
    |
0020|     health services; and
    |
0021|          WHEREAS, the state ensures fundamental quality of care
    |
0022|     through its establishment of allowable scopes of practice
    |
0023|     administered by licensing and certifications entities; and
    |
0024|          WHEREAS, the education, training and expertise of various
    |
0025|     health professionals is changing rapidly in response to both
    |
                                        - 1 -

0001|     the needs of the state and technology; and
    |
0002|          WHEREAS, increasingly, different health professions have
    |
0003|     the potential capacity to perform similar or equivalent
    |
0004|     services; and
    |
0005|          WHEREAS, the New Mexico health policy commission's
    |
0006|     statutory purpose is to serve as a forum for the discussion of
    |
0007|     complex and controversial health policy issues;
    |
0008|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
    |
0009|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy
    |
0010|     commission in cooperation with the state health professional
    |
0011|     licensing entities formulate recommendations for a process to
    |
0012|     gather, objectively assess and formulate recommendations on
    |
0013|     proposed health professionals' scope of practice changes; and
    |
0014|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that specific information and
    |
0015|     documentation be considered in the assessment of the proposed
    |
0016|     change and that the process ensure objective assessment and
    |
0017|     review of the proposed scope of practice; and
    |
0018|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that procedures be established for
    |
0019|     obtaining input from the public and other interested parties
    |
0020|     and that the most efficient and effective methods be used to
    |
0021|     ensure that the findings of such a process are incorporated
    |
0022|     into the policymaking process; and
    |
0023|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that considerations include
    |
0024|     required resources to support the process, assessment and
    |
0025|     potential existing sources for those resources, the
    |
                                        - 2 -

0001|     desirability for the requirement of such objective assessment
    |
0002|     and review prior to consideration by the legislature of the
    |
0003|     proposed scope of practice changes and a recommendation of the
    |
0004|     most suitable state entity to oversee and perform the process;
    |
0005|     and
    |
0006|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico health policy
    |
0007|     commission report its recommendations to the appropriate
    |
0008|     legislative committee by October 1, 1998; and
    |
0009|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be
    |
0010|     sent to the chairman of the New Mexico health policy
    |
0011|     commission, the regulation and licensing department, the
    |
0012|     department of health, the New Mexico board of medical
    |
0013|     examiners, the board of nursing and all other appropriate
    |
0014|     agencies and persons.
    |
0015|                              
    |