CS for SB 1506 Summary

• Authorizes certified optometrists to administer and prescribe oral ocular pharmaceutical agents after completing a pharmacology course and examination jointly developed by the Florida Medical Association and Florida Optometric Association.

• Establishes a statutory formulary of specific oral medications (analgesics, antibiotics, antivirals, and anti-glaucoma agents) that certified optometrists may prescribe, with limits on duration without physician consultation for certain agents.

• Requires licensed practitioners diagnosing neovascular or progressive glaucoma to immediately refer patients to physicians skilled in eye diseases, and mandates written patient consent for postoperative comanagement arrangements.

• Creates a mandatory adverse incident reporting system for optometry practices, requiring notification to the Department of Health within 15 days of incidents involving oral ocular pharmaceuticals that result in hospitalization, permanent injury, vision loss, or death.

• Permits health care providers and patients to enter voluntary binding arbitration agreements for medical negligence claims and allows prospective defendants to conduct ex parte interviews of treating health care providers with 10 days' advance notice to the claimant.