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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
House: HHS DP 11-0-0-1
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HB2049: radiation therapy; rural counties
Sponsor: Representative Bliss, LD 1
House Engrossed
Overview
An emergency measure that authorizes the use of particle accelerators for the treatment of human disease under general supervision in critical access hospitals and in counties with a population of less than 400,000 and prescribes related supervision, protocol and patient safety requirements.
History
The Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) is tasked with regulating the use, storage and disposal of sources of radiation. DHS assumes primary responsibility for and provide necessary technical assistance to handle any incidents, accidents and emergencies involving radiation or sources of radiation occurring within Arizona. The agency, by rule, requires adequate training and experience of persons using sources of radiation with respect to the hazards of excessive exposure to radiation to protect health and safety.
A radiation therapy technologist is a person who uses radiation on humans for therapeutic purposes. ADHS certifies radiologists therapy technologists to practice in Arizona (A.R.S. § 32-2801). A particle accelerator is a machine that accelerates elementary particles, such as electrons or protons, to very high energies. Particle accelerators produce beams of charged particles that can be used for a variety of research purposes (U.S. Department of Energy).
Provisions
1. Requires DHS to allow the use of a particle accelerator to treat human diseases under general supervision if the registrant:
a) is in a county with a population of less than 400,000; or
b) is a critical access hospital. (Sec. 1)
2. Requires the registrant to ensure all the following:
a) establish a written protocol for the application of radiation to a patient for each procedure that may be conducted by a radiation therapy technologist under the general supervision of an authorized used, including follow-up instructions for the patient;
b) review and, as necessary, revise the written protocol at least annually; and
c) document any review with a signature and date. (Sec. 1)
3. Requires registrants to ensure that:
a) any procedure conducted with a particle accelerator is not a special procedure;
b) a radiation therapy technologist follows the applicable written protocol when delivering radiation to a patient; and
c) the health and safety of a patient are maintained. (Sec. 1)
4. Requires authorized users at least every six months to:
a) observe each radiation therapy technologists while they're performing a procedure to ensure adherence to the applicable written protocol; and
b) document the authorized user's observation and assessment of the radiation therapy technologist. (Sec. 1)
5. Instructs authorized users to be on-site and available for consultation about patient care at least once every five working days, as verified in documentation maintained by the registrant. (Sec. 1)
6. Requires a registrant that uses general supervision to comply with the radiation therapy requirements to develop, maintain and implement policies and procedures to monitor both:
a) the performance of each procedure by a radiation therapy technologist under general supervision; and
b) the quality of patient care. (Sec. 1)
7. Defines terms. (Sec. 1)
8. Contains an emergency clause. (Sec. 1)
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Initials AG HB 2049
2/19/2026 Page 0 House Engrossed
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