Section 25.162. Criteria for registration as supervising physician

(a) The Board will approve for registration as a supervising physician, an applicant who:

(1) Possesses a current unrestricted license to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery in this Commonwealth.

(2) Has submitted a completed application together with the required fee. The application shall require detailed information regarding the physician’s professional background and specialties, medical education, internship, residency, continuing education, membership in American Boards of medical specialty, hospital or staff privileges and other information the Board may require.

(3) Has submitted a statement that he will direct and exercise supervision over the physician assistant in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter and that he recognizes that he retains full professional and legal responsibility for the performance of the physician assistant and the care and treatment of his patients.

(4) Has submitted a written agreement that satisfies the following requirements. The agreement must:

(i) Identify and be signed by the physician assistant and each physician the physician assistant will be assisting who will be acting as a supervising physician. At least one physician shall be an osteopathic physician.

(ii) Describe in detail the manner in which the physician assistant will be assisting each named physician. The description must list functions to be delegated to the physician assistant including the procedures enumerated in § 25.171(a) (relating to generally) and other delegated tasks.

(iii) Describe detailed instructions for the use of the physician assistant in the performance of delegated tasks.

(iv) Describe the time, place and manner, method and frequency of supervision and direction each named physician will provide the physician assistant, including the frequency of personal contact with the physician assistant.

(v) Designate one of the named physicians who shall be an osteopathic physician as the primary supervising physician.

(vi) Require that the supervising physician shall countersign the patient record completed by the physician assistant within a reasonable amount of time. This time period may not exceed 10 days.

(vii) Identify the locations and practice settings where the physician assistant will serve.

(viii) Provide the name, address and telephone number of at least two physicians who can substitute for the applicant when he is either absent or otherwise unavailable.

(b) An application for registration as a supervising physician shall be submitted for each physician assistant the physician intends to utilize and shall be accompanied by the fee required by § 25.231 (relating to schedule of fees). A physician may not be registered to supervise more than two physician assistants at any time. To expand the protocol for a physician assistant for whom the physician is already registered to supervise and utilize, the physician shall first secure approval from the Board. This can be accomplished by the physician submitting to the Board, in writing, a request for modification of the physician assistant utilization which enumerates the expanded manner in which the physician assistant will function and which contains additional instructions for the use of the physician assistant and other information pertinent to the intended departure from the former manner of practice, method and frequency of supervision, or geographic location. The fee required is that specified for initial registration in § 25.231. The Board will notify the physician, in writing, as to its approval or rejection of the requested modification. Departure from the original protocol is not permitted until the Board approves the request for modification.

(c) After the physician submits an initial application for registration as a supervising physician, which conforms with the requirements of subsection (a), for a second application and ensuing applications for registration, the physician shall only submit an abbreviated application which will be provided by the Board upon request. Only additions and deletions to the information provided in the initial application will be required.

(d) If the applicant supervising physician plans on utilizing physician assistants in satellite operations, he shall provide the Board with supplemental information as set forth in § 25.175 (relating to physician assistants and satellite operations) for specific approval.

(e) An application for registration as a supervising physician may be obtained by writing to the Harrisburg office of the Board.

The provisions of this § 25.162 adopted April 23, 1982, effective April 24, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 1332; amended January 20, 1989, effective January 21, 1989, 19 Pa.B. 236; amended August 7, 2009, effective August 8, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 4754. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (210036) and (222987).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 25.162 issued under section 506 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 186); and sections 10(h) and (p) and 16 of the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act (63 P. S. § § 271.10(h) and (p) and 271.16); amended under section 13.1(a) and (d) of the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act (63 P. S. § 271.13a(a) and (d)).

Cross References

This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 25.142 (relating to definitions); 49 Pa. Code § 25.173 (relating to documentation and protocols required); and 49 Pa. Code § 25.174 (relating to supervision of the physician assistant in the absence of the supervising physician).