SB 184

This bill makes changes with respect to the licensure, regulation, and practice

of physician assistants (PAs).

Under current law, PAs are defined as individuals who are licensed to provide

medical care with physician supervision and direction. The Medical Examining

Board licenses and regulates PAs as well as physicians and certain other professions.

The Medical Examining Board is composed of ten physicians and three public

members and is authorized to promulgate rules establishing licensing and practice

standards for PAs. However, the Podiatry Affiliated Credentialing Board has the

authority to establish practice standards for PAs practicing under podiatrists.

This bill creates the Physician Assistant Affiliated Credentialing Board

attached to the Medical Examining Board. The new board is composed of eight PAs

and one public member. In addition, the bill makes various changes to the licensure,

regulation, and practice of PAs, including all of the following:

1. Instead of requiring that a PA practice under the supervision and direction

of a physician, requires, subject to certain exceptions, that a PA who provides care

to patients maintain and provide to the board upon request either 1) evidence that,

pursuant to the PA's employment, there is a physician who is primarily responsible

for the overall direction and management of the PA's professional activities and for

assuring that the services provided by the PA are medically appropriate or 2) a

written collaborative agreement with a physician that must describe the PA's scope

of practice and include other information as required by the board. However, the bill

provides that a PA is individually and independently responsible for the quality of

the care he or she renders. The bill maintains the current requirements for PAs

practicing under podiatrists and the authority of the Podiatry Affiliated

Credentialing Board to establish practice standards for PAs practicing under

podiatrists.

2. Defines a PA's practice similarly to the definition of the practice of medicine

and surgery for purposes of physician licensure under current law. The bill also

explicitly provides that a PA may prescribe, dispense, and administer drugs and may

serve as a primary or specialty care provider. The bill requires a PA to limit his or

her practice to the scope of his or her experience, education, and training, and retains

a number of current law limitations on the practice of PAs.

3. Includes a number of additional provisions with respect to the obligations

of PAs. These include a requirement that a PA have in effect malpractice liability

insurance coverage when practicing, subject to certain exceptions and other

provisions.

4. Establishes licensure requirements for PAs, which differ in a number of

respects from the requirements under current law, including that PAs submit

additional information, including an employment history, with a licensure

application. Under the bill, the board must require continuing education for PAs.