PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1539 PRINTER'S NO. 1984
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. E4L63BIL/20070H1251B1984 - 3 -