Other LanguagesRCW 18.53.140 (5) does not allow the transferee of the name of a lawfully licensed optometrist to in turn transfer that name to another optometrist so as to make it possible for this second transferee to also practice optometry under such transferred name.
1.An agreement between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist whereby the optometrist refers a patient to the ophthalmologist for surgery with the understanding that the referring optometrist will provide post-operative care does not violate the anti-rebate provisions of chapter 19.68 RCW or RCW 18.130.180(21), so long as each party performs services he or she is licensed to perform and bills only for those services.2.The Medical Disciplinary Board lacks authority to prohibit ophthalmologists from delegating post-operative management of eye surgery patients to optometrists, if the prohibition amounts to an effort to regulate the practice of optometry or to prevent optometrists from performing functions they are licensed to perform; however, the Medical Disciplinary Board does have authority to define the scope of post-operative care and define the extent of a medical doctor's responsibility for such post-operative care.
The services rendered by a licensed and qualified optometrist are not properly included as "health care services" within the definition of RCW 48.44.010.