Section 325.21703. Specialized physician services.

A special developmental disability nursing home or nursing facility shall have on its staff a physician who is a specialist in the diagnosis, treatment, and care

of the developmentally disabled. The physician specialist, in accordance with written policy of the facility, shall comply with all of the following provisions:

(a)   Have special training and experience in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of the developmentally disabled .

(b)     Serve as a consultant to the administrator of the facility in planning and implementing a continuing program designed to meet the special needs of patients in the facility.

(c)   Serve as a consultant to other physicians attending patients in the facility.

(d)  Care for developmentally disabled patients, as may be appropriate, at the request of the patient or his or her guardian, the patient's attending physician, and the facility.

(e)   Assist the facility in development of, and approve written patient care policies for, the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients in the facility.

(f)    Assist the facility in the writing of individual patient care plans and approve such plans.

(g)   Assure that patients are seen and evaluated by the attending physician not less than every 30 days and more often as may be required to care adequately for patients.

History: 1981 AACS; 2014 AACS.