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                                 SENATE AMENDED
        PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1540, 1985, 2175         PRINTER'S NO. 2288

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1252 Session of 2007


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

        SENATOR ARMSTRONG, APPROPRIATIONS, IN SENATE, RE-REPORTED AS
           AMENDED, JULY 10, 2007

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of October 5, 1978 (P.L.1109, No.261), entitled
     2     "An act requiring the licensing of practitioners of
     3     osteopathic medicine and surgery; regulating their practice;
     4     providing for certain funds and penalties for violations and
     5     repeals," further providing for physician assistants.

     6     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     7  hereby enacts as follows:
     8     Section 1.  Section 10(g) of the act of October 5, 1978
     9  (P.L.1109, No.261), known as the Osteopathic Medical Practice
    10  Act, is amended and the section is amended by adding a
    11  subsection to read:
    12  Section 10.  Licenses; exemptions; nonresident practitioners;
    13                 graduate students; biennial registration and
    14                 continuing medical education.
    15     * * *
    16     (g)  The supervising physician shall file with the board an
    17  application to utilize a physician assistant containing a
    18  description of the manner in which the physician assistant will


     1  assist the supervising physician in his practice, the method and
     2  frequency of supervision and the geographic location of the
     3  physician assistant. [In no instance may a physician supervise
     4  more than two physician assistants at any time.] There shall be
     5  no more than four physician assistants for whom a physician has
     6  responsibility or supervises pursuant to a written agreement at
     7  any time. In medical care facilities a physician assistant may    <--
     8  HEALTH CARE FACILITIES LICENSED UNDER THE ACT OF JULY 19, 1979    <--
     9  (P.L.130, NO.48), KNOWN AS THE "HEALTH CARE FACILITIES ACT," A
    10  PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT SHALL be under the supervision and direction
    11  of a physician or physician group pursuant to a written
    12  agreement, provided that a physician supervises no more than
    13  four physician assistants at any time. A physician may apply for
    14  a waiver TO EMPLOY OR SUPERVISE MORE THAN FOUR PHYSICIAN          <--
    15  ASSISTANTS AT ANY TIME under this section for good cause, as
    16  determined by the board. In cases where a group of physicians
    17  will supervise a physician assistant, the names of all
    18  supervisory physicians shall be included on the application.
    19     (g.1)  In medical care facilities HEALTH CARE FACILITIES       <--
    20  LICENSED UNDER THE "HEALTH CARE FACILITIES ACT," the attending
    21  physician of record for a particular patient shall act as the
    22  primary supervising physician for the physician assistant while
    23  that patient is under the care of the attending physician.
    24     * * *
    25     Section 2.  The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine shall
    26  promulgate regulations to implement the amendment or addition of
    27  section 10(g) and (g.1) of the act within 18 months of the
    28  effective date of this act.
    29     Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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