§ 59-492. Designation of physicians - Employment by hospitals - Practice of medicine defined - Services rendered by trained assistants - Persons practicing nonallopathic healing.

A.  Every person shall be regarded as practicing allopathic medicine within the meaning and provisions of this act, who shall append to his or her name the letters "M.D.", "Physician" or any other title, letters or designation which represent that such person is a physician, or who shall for a fee or any form of compensation diagnose and/or treat disease, injury or deformity of persons in this state by any allopathic legend drugs, surgery, manual, or mechanical treatment unless otherwise authorized by law.

B.  A hospital or related institution as such terms are defined in Section 1-701 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which has the principal purpose or function of providing hospital or medical care, including but not limited to any corporation, association, trust, or other organization organized and operated for such purpose, may employ one or more persons who are duly licensed to practice medicine in this state without being regarded as itself practicing medicine within the meaning and provisions of this section.  The employment by the hospital or related institution of any person who is duly licensed to practice medicine in this state shall not, in and of itself, be considered as an act of unprofessional conduct by the person so employed.  Nothing provided herein shall eliminate, limit, or restrict the liability for any act or failure to act of any hospital, any hospital's employees, or persons duly licensed to practice medicine.

C.  The definition of the practice of medicine and surgery shall include, but is not limited to:

1.  Advertising, holding out to the public, or representing in any manner that one is authorized to practice medicine and surgery in this state;

2.  Any offer or attempt to prescribe, order, give, or administer any drug or medicine and surgery for the use of any other person, except as otherwise authorized by law;

3.a.Any offer or attempt, except as otherwise authorized by law, to prevent, diagnose, correct, or treat in any manner or by any means, methods, devises, or instrumentalities except for manual manipulation any disease, illness, pain, wound, fracture, infirmity, defect, or abnormal physical or mental condition of any person, including the management of pregnancy and parturition, except as otherwise authorized by law.

b.Except as provided in subsection D of this section, performance by a person within or outside of this state, through an ongoing regular arrangement, of diagnostic or treatment services, including but not limited to, stroke prevention and treatment, through electronic communications for any patient whose condition is being diagnosed or treated within this state by a physician duly licensed and practicing in this state.  A person who performs any of the functions covered by this subparagraph submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state for the purposes of any cause of action resulting from the functions performed.

c.Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall be construed to affect or give jurisdiction to the Board over any person other than medical doctors or persons holding themselves out as medical doctors;

4.  Any offer or attempt to perform any surgical operation upon any person, except as otherwise authorized by law; and

5.  The use of the title Doctor of Medicine, Physician, Surgeon, Physician and Surgeon, Dr., M.D. or any combination thereof in the conduct of any occupation or profession pertaining to the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of human disease or condition unless, where appropriate, such a designation additionally contains the description of another branch of the healing arts for which one holds a valid license in this state.

D.  The practice of medicine and surgery, as defined in this section, shall not include:

1.  A student while engaged in training in a medical school approved by the Board or while engaged in graduate medical training under the supervision of the medical staff of a hospital or other health care facility approved by the state medical board for such training, except that a student engaged in graduate medical training shall hold a license issued by the Board for such training;

2.  Any person who provides medical treatment in cases of emergency where no fee or other consideration is contemplated, charged or received;

3.  A commissioned medical officer of the armed forces of the United States or medical officer of the United States Public Health Service or the Department of Veterans Affairs of the United States in the discharge of official duties and/or within federally controlled facilities; and provided that such person shall be fully licensed to practice medicine and surgery in one or more jurisdictions of the United States; provided further that such person who holds a medical license in this state shall be subject to the provisions of the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act;

4.  Any person licensed under any other act when properly practicing in the healing art for which that person is duly licensed;

5.  The practice of those who endeavor to prevent or cure disease or suffering by spiritual means or prayer;

6.  Any person administering a domestic or family remedy to a member of such person's own family;

7.  Any person licensed to practice medicine and surgery in another state or territory of the United States who renders emergency medical treatment or briefly provides critical medical service at the specific lawful direction of a medical institution or federal agency that assumes full responsibility for that treatment or service and is approved by the Board;

8.  Any person who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery in another state or territory of the United States whose sole purpose and activity is limited to brief actual consultation with a specific physician who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery by the Board, other than a person with a special or restricted license; or

9.  The practice of any other person as licensed by appropriate agencies of this state, provided that such duties are consistent with the accepted standards of the person's profession and the person does not represent himself or herself as a Doctor of Medicine, Physician, Surgeon, Physician and Surgeon, Dr., M.D., or any combination thereof.

E.  Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall prohibit:

1.  The service rendered by a physician's unlicensed trained assistant, if such service is rendered under the supervision and control of a licensed physician pursuant to Board rules, provided such rules are not in conflict with the provisions of any other healing arts licensure act or rules promulgated pursuant to such act; or

2.  The service of any other person duly licensed or certified by the state to practice the healing arts.

F.  Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall prohibit services rendered by any person not licensed by the Board and practicing any nonallopathic healing practice.

Added by Laws 1923, c. 59, p. 104, § 12, emerg. eff. March 31, 1923.  Amended by Laws 1965, c. 399, § 1, emerg. eff. July 5, 1965; Laws 1974, c. 305, § 2, emerg. eff. May 29, 1974; Laws 1987, c. 118, § 12, operative July 1, 1987; Laws 1990, c. 91, § 1, emerg. eff. April 18, 1990; Laws 1993, c. 230, § 25, eff. July 1, 1993; Laws 1994, c. 323, § 12, eff. July 1, 1994; Laws 1996, c. 147, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 1998, c. 324, § 4, emerg. eff. May 28, 1998; Laws 1999, c. 23, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2000, c. 52, § 4, emerg. eff. April 14, 2000; Laws 2009, c. 148, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 2009; Laws 2009, c. 261, § 2, eff. July 1, 2009.