The amendments to the Health Insurance Act — Regulation 552 insure out-patient services provided by the RN(EC). The amendments are consistent with the current legislated scope of practice of RN(EC)s as defined in the Nursing Act.

Key amendments are as follows :

1. The definition of 'extended class nursing staff' is amended to include two classes of RN(EC)s :
1. RN(EC)s who are employed by a hospital and are authorized to diagnose, prescribe for or treat outpatients in the hospital; and
2. RN(EC)s who are not employed by a hospital and to whom the governing body or authority of the hospital has granted privileges to diagnose, prescribe for or treat out-patients in the hospital.
2. Subsection 8 (1) Paragraphs 2 - 8 are amended to include as insured services the prescription of specific treatments, equipment and supplies for out-patients by RN(EC)s that can now only be prescribed by a physician or other specified provider.
3. Subsection 11(1) (e) amended to more fully reflect the current scope of practice of RN(EC) with respect to out-patient services, i.e., "registered as an out-patient on the order or under the authority of a registered nurse in the extended class"
4. Subsection 37(3) – Revoked and substituted with subsections 37 (3) and (4) to add RN(EC)s to the list of providers who must provide written confirmation, when required by the General Manager of OHIP, that ambulance services provided to an insured person were necessary. Midwives also added to the list of providers because they may also be ordering ambulance services.

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