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<section article="gho" article_name="Health Occupations" number="1-221" title_number="1" title_name="Definitions; General Provisions" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="General Provisions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “health care practitioner” means a person who is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized under this article to provide health care services in the ordinary course of business or practice of a profession.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>This section applies only to a health care practitioner who practices in:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A freestanding ambulatory care facility;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A physician’s office; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>An urgent care facility.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, 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:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The health care practitioner’s first name, nickname, last name, or full name that is commonly used in the office or facility; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The type of license of the health care practitioner.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A badge or other form of identification is not required to be worn if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The patient is being seen in the office of a health care practitioner who is a solo practitioner; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The name and license of the health care practitioner can be readily determined by the patient from a posted license or sign in the office; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The patient is being seen in:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>An operating room or other setting where surgical or other invasive procedures are performed; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Any other setting where maintaining a sterile environment is medically necessary.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Each health occupations board may adopt regulations to implement this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The regulations, when necessary for the patient or health care practitioner’s safety or for therapeutic concerns may provide exemptions from wearing a badge or other form of identification.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A violation may be reported to the health occupations board that licensed or certified the health care practitioner.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>In response to a reported violation, a health occupations board may send an advisory letter or a letter of education to the health care practitioner.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>An advisory letter or letter of education sent by a health occupations board under this section is confidential and may not be publicly reported as a disciplinary action.</text>
  </level>
</section>
