Sec.14-45a-8. Information to be considered in licensing actions

The Medical Advisory Board when making recommendations, and the department when taking licensing action, may consider the following information.

(a) In general:

(1) Information on any medical condition, including but not limited to:

(A) History of illness.

(B) Severity of symptoms and prognosis.

(C) Complications and/or co-morbid conditions.

(D) Treatment and medications, effects and side effects, and person's knowledge and use of medications.

(E) Results of medical tests and reports of laboratory findings.

(F) Physician's medical report on functional ability including mental or emotional function.

(G) Physician recommendations on degree of functional impairment.

(2) Basic driving needs, including but not limited to, the distance from the applicant's home to that person's doctor, place of employment, shopping districts, or other necessary locations.

(3) Reports of driver condition or behavior.

(4) Screening by the department.

(A) Vision.

(B) Hearing.

(5) Examinations by the department.

(A) Knowledge of traffic laws, road signs, rules of the road, vehicle equipment and safe driving practices.

(B) Driving ability.

(6) Traffic accidents that have been caused by a medical condition.

(7) Vision specialist report.

(b) With respect to a condition involving alcohol or other drugs:

(1) Alcohol abuse or dependency.

(2) Drug abuse or dependency.

(3) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Physician or psychologist examination of alcohol or other drug use.

(B) Alcohol/Drug counselor assessment or evaluation of alcohol or drug use.

(C) Hospital or clinic alcohol/drug treatment discharge summaries.

(c) With respect to a condition affecting cardiovascular function:

(1) Coronary artery disease, including myocardial infarction.

(2) Congestive heart disease.

(3) Valvular disease or replacement valves.

(4) Congenital heart disease.

(5) Cardiomyopathy.

(6) Structural defects.

(7) Inflammation.

(8) Cor Pulmonale.

(9) Conduction difficulties.

(10) Arrhythmias.

(11) Aortic or arterial occlusion or aneurysm.

(12) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Hypertension.

(B) Orthostatic hypotension.

(C) Presence of pain and its frequency, location, duration, and intensity.

(D) Syncope or presyncopal sensations.

(E) Procedures to correct condition which temporarily impairs functional ability, including surgical procedures such as coronary artery bypass graft.

(F) Pacemaker function.

(G) Implanted defibrillator function.

(H) Results of testing procedures such as electrocardiogram, stress test with thallium scan, angiography, or MUGA.

(I) Cardiac drug use including rhythm control drugs, antianginal agents, cardiac glycosides and side effects of these medications.

(d) With respect to a condition affecting cerebro-vascular function:

(1) Cerebro-vascular accident (stroke).

(2) Transient ischemic attacks.

(3) Carotid artery occlusion.

(4) Aneurysm.

(5) Brain or head injury.

(6) The department may request information on functional ability, including but not limited to:

(A) Hypertension.

(B) Residual motor control effects, for example, limb paralysis.

(C) Memory loss.

(D) Impaired reasoning and judgment.

(E) Disorientation.

(F) Visual disturbances.

(G) Altered consciousness.

(H) Compensatory mechanisms.

(I) Medication effects and side effects.

(e) With respect to a condition affecting endocrine function:

(1) Diabetes mellitis.

(2) Pituitary disorders.

(3) Thyroid disorders.

(4) Parathyroid disorders.

(5) Adrenal dysfunction.

(6) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Hypoglycemia.

(B) Hyperglycemia.

(C) Complications of condition.

(D) Reliability.

(E) Weakness.

(F) Fluid and electrolyte imbalance.

(G) Mental changes.

(H) Hypokalemia.

(I) Frequency of symptoms.

(J) Medication effects and side effects.

(f) With respect to a condition affecting musculo-skeletal function:

(1) Rheumatoid arthritis.

(2) Osteoarthritis.

(3) Lupus erythematosus.

(4) Osteomyelitis.

(5) Bursitis.

(6) Osteoporosis.

(7) Paralysis.

(8) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Reduced range of motion.

(B) Pain.

(C) Stiffness.

(D) Reduced mobility.

(E) Medication effects and side effects.

(g) With respect to a condition affecting neurological or neuromuscular function:

(1) Cerebral Palsy.

(2) Multiple sclerosis.

(3) Muscular dystrophy.

(4) Myasthenia gravis.

(5) Neuralgia and Neuritis.

(6) Parkinson's disease and other extrapyramidal symptoms and disorders.

(7) Poliomyelitis.

(8) Seizure disorders.

(9) Spinal cord injury.

(10) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Episodes of altered consciousness or loss of bodily control.

(B) Degree of functional impairment.

I. Extent to which loss of muscle tone affects functional ability.

II. Extent to which loss of muscle movement affects functional ability.

III. Extent to which muscle spasm affects functional ability.

IV. Extent to which fatigue affects functional ability.

(h) With respect to a condition affecting peripheral-vascular function:

(1) Thrombophlebitis.

(2) Thromboangiitis obliterans.

(3) Arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis.

(4) Any impairment of peripheral circulation.

(5) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Tissue ischemia.

(B) Pain.

(C) Weakness.

(D) Impaired mobility.

(E) Numbness.

(F) Procedures to correct conditions which temporarily impair functional ability, including surgical procedures.

(G) Medication effects and side effects.

(i) With respect to a condition affecting pyschosocial, mental or emotional function:

(1) Schizophrenia.

(2) Personality disorders.

(3) Manic-depressive psychosis.

(4) Paranoia.

(5) Dementia.

(6) Organic brain syndrome.

(7) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Impaired impulse control.

(B) Reality testing.

(C) Impaired affect, mood.

(D) Sociopathic behavior.

(E) Aggression.

(F) Suicidal risk.

(G) Cognitive skill or impairment.

(H) Treatment program, including medications.

(j) With respect to a condition affecting respiratory function:

(1) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

(2) Asthma.

(3) Emphysema.

(4) Bronchitis.

(5) Tuberculosis.

(6) Silicosis.

(7) Pulmonary emboli.

(8) Pulmonary hypertension.

(9) Tumors.

(10) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Incapacitating cough.

(B) Shortness of breath.

(C) Dyspnea.

(D) Inadequate ventilation.

(E) Fatigue.

(F) Right ventricular enlargement.

(G) Acute respiratory failure.

(H) Hypoxemia, hypercapnia.

(I) Need for medication, oxygen therapy.

(J) Pulmonary function tests.

(k) With respect to a condition affecting visual function:

(1) Cataracts.

(2) Macular degeneration.

(3) Retinitis pigmentosa.

(4) Diabetic retinopathy.

(5) Glaucoma.

(6) The department may request information on functional ability, including, but not limited to:

(A) Visual ability.

(B) Field of vision.

(C) Need for corrective lens.

(Effective June 22, 1992)