Sec. 17548.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and section 17549(5), a physician who is a sole practitioner or who practices in a group of physicians and treats patients on an outpatient basis shall not supervise more than 4 physician's assistants. If a physician described in this subsection supervises physician's assistants at more than 1 practice site, the physician shall not supervise more than 2 physician's assistants by a method other than the physician's actual physical presence at the practice site.
(2) A physician who is employed by or under contract or subcontract to or has privileges at a health facility licensed under article 17 or a state correctional facility may supervise more than 4 physician's assistants at the health facility or agency or state correctional facility.
(3) To the extent that a particular selected medical care service requires extensive medical training, education, or ability or pose serious risks to the health and safety of patients, the board may prohibit or otherwise restrict the delegation of that medical care service or may require higher levels of supervision.
(4) A physician shall not delegate ultimate responsibility for the quality of medical care services, even if the medical care services are provided by a physician's assistant.
(5) A physician's assistant may make calls or go on rounds under the supervision of a physician in private homes, public institutions, emergency vehicles, ambulatory care clinics, hospitals, intermediate or extended care facilities, health maintenance organizations, nursing homes, or other health care facilities. Notwithstanding any law or rule to the contrary, a physician's assistant may make calls or go on rounds as provided in this subsection without restrictions on the time or frequency of visits by the physician or the physician's assistant.
(6) Subject to subsections (7) and (8), the board may promulgate rules for the delegation by a supervising physician to a physician's assistant of the function of prescription of drugs. Subject to subsections (7) and (8), the rules may define the drugs or classes of drugs the prescription of which shall not be delegated and other procedures and protocols necessary to promote consistency with federal and state drug control and enforcement laws.
(7) A physician's assistant may prescribe drugs as a delegated act of a supervising physician in accordance with procedures and protocol for the prescription established by rule of the appropriate board. A physician's assistant may prescribe a drug, including a controlled substance that is included in schedules 2 to 5 of part 72, as a delegated act of the supervising physician. When delegated prescription occurs, both the physician's assistant's name and the supervising physician's name shall be used, recorded, or otherwise indicated in connection with each individual prescription so that the individual who dispenses or administers the prescription knows under whose delegated authority the physician's assistant is prescribing. When delegated prescription of drugs that are included in schedules 2 to 5 occurs, both the physician's assistant's and the supervising physician's DEA registration numbers shall be used, recorded, or otherwise indicated in connection with each individual prescription.
(8) A supervising physician may delegate in writing to a physician's assistant the ordering, receipt, and dispensing of complimentary starter dose drugs including controlled substances that are included in schedules 2 to 5 of part 72. When the delegated ordering, receipt, or dispensing of complimentary starter dose drugs occurs, both the physician's assistant's name and the supervising physician's name shall be used, recorded, or otherwise indicated in connection with each order, receipt, or dispensing. When the delegated ordering, receipt, or dispensing of complimentary starter dose drugs that are included in schedules 2 to 5 occurs, both the physician's assistant's and the supervising physician's DEA registration numbers shall be used, recorded, or otherwise indicated in connection with each order, receipt, or dispensing. As used in this subsection, "complimentary starter dose" means that term as defined in section 17745. It is the intent of the legislature in enacting this subsection to allow a pharmaceutical manufacturer or wholesale distributor, as those terms are defined in part 177, to distribute complimentary starter dose drugs to a physician's assistant, as described in this subsection, in compliance with section 503(d) of the federal food, drug, and cosmetic act, 21 USC 353.
History: 1978, Act 368, Eff. Sept. 30, 1978 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 462, Eff. Sept. 1, 1989 ;-- Am. 1990, Act 247, Imd. Eff. Oct. 12, 1990 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 355, Imd. Eff. July 1, 1996 ;-- Am. 2011, Act 210, Imd. Eff. Nov. 8, 2011 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 618, Imd. Eff. Jan. 9, 2013
Last modified: October 10, 2016