PRINTER'S NO. 4620
No. 2961 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY HARRIS, BALDWIN, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, CAPPELLI,
FAIRCHILD, FLEAGLE, GINGRICH, GOOD, HARHART, HARPER, HORSEY,
LEWIS, MYERS, O'NEILL, REICHLEY, SAYLOR, SOLOBAY, STERN,
THOMAS, WILT, YOUNGBLOOD AND PAYNE, NOVEMBER 9, 2004
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
NOVEMBER 9, 2004
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 assistant supervision.
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 and the section is amended by adding subsections to
16 read:
17 Section 13. Physician assistants.
18 * * *
19 (e) Written agreement.--A physician assistant shall not
20 provide a medical service without a written agreement with one
1 or more physicians which provides for all of the following:
2 (1) Identifies and is signed by each physician the
3 physician assistant will be assisting.
4 (2) Describes the manner in which the physician
5 assistant will be assisting each named physician.
6 (3) Describes the nature and degree of supervision and
7 direction each named physician will provide the physician
8 assistant.
9 (4) Designates one of the named physicians as having the
10 primary responsibility for supervising and directing the
11 physician assistant.
12 (5) Has been approved by the board as satisfying the
13 foregoing and as consistent with the restrictions contained
14 in or authorized by this section.
15 [A physician assistant shall not assist a physician in a manner
16 not described in the agreement or without the nature and degree
17 of supervision and direction described in the agreement. The
18 physician designated as having primary responsibility for the
19 physician assistant shall not have primary responsibility for
20 more than two physician assistants.]
21 (e.1) Manner of assistance.--A physician assistant shall not
22 assist a physician in a manner not prescribed in the agreement
23 or without the nature and degree of supervision and direction
24 described in the agreement set forth in subsection (e).
25 (e.2) Number of physician assistants.--Except as provided in
26 this subsection, the physician designated as having primary
27 responsibility for the physician assistant shall not have
28 primary responsibility for more than two physician assistants.
29 However, a physician may make written application to the board
30 to supervise no more than four physician assistants if a
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1 hardship to patients in terms of access to health care would
2 result from limiting the number of physician assistants to two.
3 The board may allow a physician to supervise up to four
4 physician assistants for a period of not more than a total of
5 180 days. The board shall notify the physician of its decision
6 in writing by registered mail. Within two years of the effective
7 date of this subsection, the board shall promulgate regulations
8 necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection.
9 * * *
10 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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