Colorado Medical Rule 800: Is Patient Safety Compromised?

Not many people have heard about Colorado Medical Rule 800. This is a statute of the Colorado Medical Board, which regulates what type of procedures can be performed, without a physician present on the premises, that can be delegated to nurses or physician extenders, when the physician is not present in the office.

It was originally designed for medical centers, such as Dialysis Centers, so nephrologists could treat patients in their clinic, while they were seeing patients in hospitals and other medical clinics. It was designed to improve patient care and safety, while allowing patients to receive the dialysis care they needed and deserved, while the physician attended to other sick patients.

Is the Rule Being Abused?

Recently, the statute is being abused, by cosmetic medispas and free standing cosmetic clinics, who are offering medical procedures, such as laser procedures, Botox, and filler injections, while an off-site physician ‘supervises‘ these procedures.

The ‘Ghost‘ physician, may be hundreds of miles away, across town, or even out of state, allowing cosmetic chains and medispas to operate, unsupervised, by physician oversite.

This would all be fine, assuming that no complications would ever arise.  Unfortunately, many procedures go awry, and the patient suffers permanent injury or complications, that go untreated, and the patient suffers even permanent harm. Many of the unscrupulous ‘injectors and laser technicians‘ are even afraid to present these cases to the physician supervisor, in fear that the physician will close down the center, or not allow the clinic to operate under their medical license. Thus, forcing the clinic to find another physician, willing to let them borrow their medical license, to keep performing treatments and keep these clinics open.

This is clearly practicing medicine without a license in the state of Colorado, and our clinic has seen numerous injuries, laser burns, and improper medical techniques performed by these unsupervised clinics.

Is the Rule Being Violated?

When contacting the medical supervisor, they are often surprised that these complications exist, and were never notified by the clinic or medispa of their occurrence, a clear violation of Rule 800.

Many times, the supervising physician, is not even trained in cosmetic procedures, and has no business lending their license to the practice of these medical procedures. A family physician, OB/Gyn, Neurologist, Dentist, or Chiropractor may have extensive expertise in their area, but they don’t know the difference between pulse duration or pulse width on a laser procedure being performed in a laser hair removal center, attached to their medical license.

Is Colorado Finally Cracking Down On Unsupervised Clinics?

The state is cracking down on these unlicensed and physician unsupervised clinics. Some are forced to close down or take extra training. Others are issued cease and desist motions.

The Rocky Mountain Laser Center is proud to be at the cutting edge in providing patients with the most complete setting of patient safety available. Our Board-Certified Dermatologists are always present in the office, to answer questions, and assess and evaluate all patients before medical procedures are performed.

What Can You Do?

Before undergoing a laser hair removal procedure, CoolSculpting procedure, or Botox or filler injection, ask to speak to the physician on site, in order to assure you, that you are receiving exceptional medical treatment. Otherwise, if you undergo a medical complication, you may be out of luck.