21 NCAC 54 .2805. SERVICES APPROPRIATE FOR ANCILLARY SERVICES PERSONNEL

(a)  Clerical functions requiring a minimum of judgment are appropriate activities in which unlicensed individuals may engage.  Examples of these activities include responding to telephone inquiries, scheduling appointments, filing insurance claims, typing psychological reports, and completing data entry of test results after a patient or client has responded to such items as questionnaires, forms, etc.  These activities shall be appropriate for ancillary services personnel to provide under the supervision of a psychologist.  A psychologist who employs or supervises unlicensed individuals to provide only the services described in this Paragraph shall otherwise be exempt from the requirements of Rule .2803, Paragraph (a) of this Section as to these unlicensed individuals.

(b)  Tasks requiring technical skills, training and judgment during execution are appropriate activities in which unlicensed individuals may engage.  Examples of these activities include obtaining demographic histories; implementing biofeedback techniques; administering and scoring specific parts of psychological tests, including neuropsychological tests, which are scored on a pass/fail, multiple choice, or true/false basis, or for which scores are based on speed or quantity of performance; administering intelligence tests and other psychological tests to an individual in which the patient or client's performance may alter the length of the protocol, require adjustment of the number of items administered, or require that a decision be made to probe a response of the patient or client provided that ancillary services personnel have been deemed by the licensee to have met the training requirements of the test publisher;  and implementing specific behavioral interventions that are part of a detailed treatment plan.  A psychologist may delegate such technical tasks to an unlicensed individual upon determining that the tasks can be performed, given the client or patient's characteristics and circumstances, in a manner consistent with the unlicensed individual's training and skills.  A psychologist who employs or supervises unlicensed individuals to provide the services described in this Paragraph shall comply with documentation and supervision requirements specified in Rule .2803 of this Section.

(c)  Pursuant to G.S. 90-270.15(a)(17), a dated entry shall be made in the patient or client's records at any time that an ancillary service is provided at the request or direction of the licensee.  This requirement shall include all ancillary services provided and billed to a third party or paid by the patient or client to the licensee and all ancillary services for which there is no charge.  Unlicensed individuals providing ancillary services who make clinical record entries regarding services they provide shall sign such entries and indicate their titles under Rule .2802 of this Section as providers of ancillary services.  The psychologist shall ensure that case notes, financial statements, and other records of services identify whether the psychologist or the unlicensed individual was the direct provider of the service.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90-270.9; 90-270.21;

Eff. April 1, 2003.