Interpretation

In this Act“Belize Medical and Dental Association” means the body of registered medical practitioners and dentists recognized by the “Medical Council” means the Medical Council of Belize established under section 3; “medical practitioner” means a person who is registered in the Medical Practitioners Register maintained by the Registrar under section 7; “Register” means the Register required to be kept by the Registrar under section 7; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for Health; “Ministry” means the Ministry of Health; “practice of medicine” includes– (a) advertising, holding out to the public or representing in any manner, that one is authorized to practice medicine in Belize; Medical Practice Act 7 (b) offering or undertaking to prescribe, order, give or administer any drug or medicine for the use of any other person; (c) offering or undertaking to prevent or diagnose, correct or treat in any manner or by any means, methods or devices any disease, illness, pain, wound, fracture, infirmity, defect or abnormal physical or mental condition, of any person, including the management of pregnancy and parturition; (d) offering or undertaking to perform any surgical operation upon any person; (e) rendering a written or otherwise documented medical opinion concerning the diagnosis or treatment of a patient, or the actual rendering of treatment to a patient within Belize by a medical practitioner located outside Belize as a result of transmission of individual patient data by electronic or other means from within Belize to such medical practitioner or his agent; (f) rendering a determination of the medical necessity or appropriateness of a proposed treatment; (g) using the designation Doctor, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathy, Medical Practitioner, Surgeon, Medical Practitioner and Surgeon, Medical Practitioner, Podiatrist, Dr., DMD., DDS., M.D., D.O. 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 such a designation additionally contains the description of 8 Medical Practice Act another branch of the healing arts for which one holds a valid licence in Belize; but does not include the actions or practices by– (a) students engaged in training in a medical school approved by the Medical Council; (b) persons providing service in cases of emergency where no fee or other consideration is contemplated, charged or received; (c) persons practicing the tenets of a religion or ministering to the sick or suffering by mental or spiritual means in accordance with such tenets, provided that such persons shall not be exempt from the public health laws of Belize; (d) persons administering a lawful domestic or family remedy to a member of their own family; and (e) persons licensed to practice medicine in another jurisdiction, that briefly render emergency medical treatment or briefly provide critical medical service at the specific lawful direction of a medical institution that assumes full responsibility for that treatment and is approved by the Medical Council; “qualified to be registered” in relation to a person, means a graduate from a recognized institution who has completed the requisite academic internship and social service requirements, where applicable; “quality care” means the provision of health care services for individuals and populations that increase the likelihood of desired patient outcomes and are consistent with the accepted Medical Practice Act 9 standards of care as defined by the Ministry in Regulations made hereunder; “recertification” means paying annual practising fees and carrying out such continuing medical education as prescribed by “Registrar” means the Registrar General.