Florida Statutes Title XXIX. Public Health § 383.3131. Advanced birth center performance of laboratory and surgical services; use of anesthetic and chemical agents

(1) Laboratory services.--An advanced birth center shall have a clinical laboratory on site. The clinical laboratory must, at a minimum, be capable of providing laboratory testing for hematology, metabolic screening, liver function, and coagulation studies. An advanced birth center may collect specimens for those tests that are requested under protocol. An advanced birth center may perform laboratory tests as defined by rule of the agency. Laboratories located in advanced birth centers must be appropriately certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and the federal rules adopted thereunder.

(2) Surgical services.--In addition to surgical procedures authorized under s. 383.313(2), surgical procedures for low-risk cesarean deliveries and surgical management of immediate complications may also be performed at an advanced birth center. Postpartum sterilization may be performed before discharge of the patient who has given birth during that admission. Circumcisions may be performed before discharge of the newborn infant.

(3) Administration of analgesia and anesthesia.--General, conduction, and local anesthesia may be administered at an advanced birth center if administered by personnel who have the statutory authority to do so. All general anesthesia must be administered by an anesthesiologist or a certified registered nurse anesthetist in accordance with s. 464.012. When general anesthesia is administered, a physician or a certified registered nurse anesthetist must be present in the advanced birth center during the anesthesia and postanesthesia recovery period until the patient is fully alert. Each advanced birth center shall comply with s. 395.0191(2)(b).

(4) Intrapartal use of chemical agents.--Labor may be inhibited, stimulated, or augmented with chemical agents during the first or second stage of labor at an advanced birth center if prescribed by personnel who have the statutory authority to do so. Labor may be electively induced beginning at the 39th week of gestation for a patient with a documented Bishop score of 8 or greater.