§ 23-74-4. Prohibited conduct.
The director may impose disciplinary action as described in this chapter against any
unlicensed healthcare practitioner. The following conduct is prohibited and is grounds
for disciplinary action:
(1) Conviction of a crime, including a finding or verdict of guilt, and admission of guilt,
or a no contest plea, in any court in Rhode Island or any other jurisdiction in the
United States, reasonably related to engaging in healthcare practices. Conviction,
as used in this subdivision, includes a conviction of an offense that, if committed
in this state, would be deemed a felony or misdemeanor, without regard to its designation
elsewhere, or a criminal proceeding where a finding or verdict of guilty is made or
returned, but the adjudication of guilt is either withheld or not entered.
(2) Engaging in sexual contact with an unlicensed healthcare client, engaging in contact
that may be reasonably interpreted by a client as sexual or engaging in sexual exploitation
of a client.
(3) Advertising that is false, fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading.
(4) Conduct likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public or demonstrating a willful
or careless disregard for the health or safety of an unlicensed healthcare client
in which case, proof of actual injury need not be established.
(5) Adjudication as mentally incompetent or as a person who is dangerous to self or adjudicated
as any of the following: chemically dependent, mentally ill, mentally ill and dangerous
to the public, or as a sexual psychopathic personality or sexually dangerous person.
(6) Inability to engage in unlicensed healthcare practices with reasonable safety to unlicensed
healthcare clients.
(7) Dependence upon controlled substances, habitual drunkenness or engaging in unlicensed
healthcare practices while intoxicated or incapacitated by the use of drugs.
(8) Revealing a communication from, or relating to, an unlicensed healthcare client except
when otherwise required or permitted by law.
(9) Failure to comply with an unlicensed healthcare client's request to furnish an unlicensed
healthcare client record or report required by law.
(10) Splitting fees or promising to pay a portion of a fee to any other professional other
than for services rendered by the other professional to the unlicensed healthcare
client.
(11) Engaging in abusive or fraudulent billing practices, including violations of the federal
Medicare and Medicaid laws or state medical assistance laws.
(12) Obtaining money, property, or services from an unlicensed healthcare client, other
than reasonable fees for services provided to the client, through the use of undue
influence, harassment, duress, deception, or fraud.
(13) Failure to provide an unlicensed healthcare client with a copy of the client bill
of rights or violation of any provision of the client bill of rights.
(14) Violating any order issued by the director.
(15) Failure to comply with any provision of any rules adopted by the director.
(16) Failure to comply with any additional disciplinary grounds established by the director
by rule.
(17) Revocation, suspension, restriction, limitation, or other disciplinary action against
any healthcare license, certificate, registration, or right to practice of the unlicensed
healthcare practitioner in this or another state or jurisdiction for offenses that
would be subject to disciplinary action in this state or failure to report to the
department that charges regarding the practitioner's license, certificate, registration,
or right of practice have been brought in this or another state or jurisdiction.
(18) False or misleading use of the title "doctor,� "Dr.�, "physician� alone or in combination
with any other words, letters, or insignia to describe the unlicensed healthcare practices
the practitioner provides.