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2000 SESSION

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HB 979 Health professions; physician assistants.

Introduced by: S. Chris Jones | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Health professions; physician assistants. Authorizes physicians and podiatrists to delegate to physician assistants initial and ongoing evaluation and treatment of patients in hospitals, including emergency departments. In hospitals, physician assistants must report any acute or significant findings or changes in patients' clinical status to the supervising physician as soon as circumstances require, and record these findings in appropriate institutional records. The physician assistant must transfer to a supervising physician the direction of care of any patient in an emergency department who has a life-threatening injury or illness. The supervising physician must review, prior to the patient's discharge, the services rendered by the physician assistant in an emergency department. The supervising physician must be present in the facility when a physician assistant is practicing in an emergency department. The physician responsible for the care of the patient must sign a protocol under Board regulations agreeing to act as a supervising physician for the assistant practicing in a hospital.

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Health professions; physician assistants. Provides guidelines for physician assistants to provide care to patients, which include initial and ongoing evaluation and treatment in a hospital, including the emergency department, when under the supervision, direction and control of the supervising licensee. The bill also provides certain standards of care for reporting and conditions under which patient care must be transferred to the physician. Care of the patient provided by a physician assistant in an emergency room must be reviewed by the physician prior to discharge, and the physician must be present within the facility when treatment is given. The physician responsible for the care of the patient must sign a protocol under Board regulations agreeing to act as a supervising physician for the assistant.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Health professions; physician assistants. Provides guidelines for physician assistants to provide care to patients, which include initial and ongoing evaluation and treatment in a hospital, including the emergency department, when under the supervision, direction and control of the supervising licensee. The bill also provides certain standards of care for reporting and conditions under which patient care must be transferred to the physician. Care of the patient provided by a physician assistant in an emergency room must be reviewed by the physician prior to discharge, and the physician must be present within the facility when treatment is given. The physician responsible for the care of the patient must sign a protocol under Board regulations agreeing to act as a supervising physician for the assistant.