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        PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1539                      PRINTER'S NO. 1984

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1251 Session of 2007


        INTRODUCED BY READSHAW, EACHUS, KORTZ, SIPTROTH, TANGRETTI,
           THOMAS, WOJNAROSKI AND FABRIZIO, MAY 8, 2007

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, HOUSE OF
           REPRESENTATIVES, JUNE 19, 2007

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112),
     2     entitled "An act relating to the right to practice medicine
     3     and surgery and the right to practice medically related acts;
     4     reestablishing the State Board of Medical Education and
     5     Licensure as the State Board of Medicine and providing for
     6     its composition, powers and duties; providing for the
     7     issuance of licenses and certificates and the suspension and
     8     revocation of licenses and certificates; providing penalties;
     9     and making repeals," further providing for physician
    10     assistants.

    11     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    12  hereby enacts as follows:
    13     Section 1.  Section 13(e) of the act of December 20, 1985      <--
    14  (P.L.457, No.112), known as the Medical Practice Act of 1985, is
    15  amended to read:
    16     SECTION 1.  SECTION 13(E) AND (G) OF THE ACT OF DECEMBER 20,   <--
    17  1985 (P.L.457, NO.112), KNOWN AS THE MEDICAL PRACTICE ACT OF
    18  1985, ARE AMENDED TO READ:
    19  Section 13.  Physician assistants.
    20     * * *
    21     (e)  Written agreement.--A physician assistant shall not


     1  provide a medical service without a written agreement with one
     2  or more physicians which provides for all of the following:
     3         (1)  Identifies and is signed by each physician the
     4     physician assistant will be assisting.
     5         (2)  Describes the manner in which the physician
     6     assistant will be assisting each named physician.
     7         (3)  Describes the nature and degree of supervision and
     8     direction each named physician will provide the physician
     9     assistant.
    10         (4)  Designates one of the named physicians as having the
    11     primary responsibility for supervising and directing the
    12     physician assistant.
    13         (5)  Has been approved by the board as satisfying the
    14     foregoing and as consistent with the restrictions contained
    15     in or authorized by this section.
    16  A physician assistant shall not assist a physician in a manner
    17  not described in the agreement or without the nature and degree
    18  of supervision and direction described in the agreement. [The
    19  physician designated as having primary responsibility for the
    20  physician assistant shall not have primary responsibility for
    21  more than two physician assistants.] There shall be no limit to   <--
    22  the number of physician assistants for whom a physician has
    23  responsibility or supervises under a collaborative or written
    24  agreement. THERE SHALL BE NO MORE THAN FOUR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS  <--
    25  FOR WHOM A PHYSICIAN HAS RESPONSIBILITY OR SUPERVISES PURSUANT
    26  TO A WRITTEN AGREEMENT AT ANY TIME. IN MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES A
    27  PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT MAY BE UNDER THE SUPERVISION AND DIRECTION
    28  OF A PHYSICIAN OR PHYSICIAN GROUP PURSUANT TO A WRITTEN
    29  AGREEMENT, PROVIDED THAT A PHYSICIAN SUPERVISES NO MORE THAN
    30  FOUR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AT ANY TIME. A PHYSICIAN MAY APPLY FOR
    20070H1251B1984                  - 2 -     

     1  A WAIVER UNDER THIS SECTION FOR GOOD CAUSE, AS DETERMINED BY THE
     2  BOARD.
     3     * * *
     4     (G)  SUPERVISION.--A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT MAY BE EMPLOYED BY A  <--
     5  MEDICAL CARE FACILITY UNDER THE SUPERVISION AND DIRECTION OF AN
     6  APPROVED PHYSICIAN OR GROUP OF SUCH PHYSICIANS, PROVIDED ONE OF
     7  THOSE PHYSICIANS IS DESIGNATED AS HAVING THE PRIMARY
     8  RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUPERVISING AND DIRECTING THE PHYSICIAN
     9  ASSISTANT [AND PROVIDED THAT A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT SHALL NOT BE
    10  RESPONSIBLE TO MORE THAN THREE PHYSICIANS]. IN MEDICAL CARE
    11  FACILITIES THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN OF RECORD FOR A PARTICULAR
    12  PATIENT SHALL ACT AS THE PRIMARY SUPERVISING PHYSICIAN FOR THE
    13  PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT WHILE THAT PATIENT IS UNDER THE CARE OF THE
    14  ATTENDING PHYSICIAN.
    15     * * *
    16     Section 2.  The State Board of Medicine shall promulgate
    17  regulations to implement the amendment of section 13(e) AND (G)   <--
    18  of the act within 18 months of the effective date of this act.
    19     Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.








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