Under the act, the supervising physician must be present 66% of the time a physician assistant is providing patient care and no further than 30 miles from the care facility. The supervising physician must be readily available in person or via telecommunication while the assistant is providing care. The assistant may make follow-up patient examinations in patient homes.

The State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts shall promulgate rules to establish a formal process to waive the distance and supervision requirements for physician assistants as long as the parties demonstrate the following:

• there will be adequate supervision.

• the community served by the supervising physician would suffer in the absence of a waiver.

• the area is a health professional shortage area.

• the assistant practices no further than 50 miles away from the supervising physician.

Physician assistants must practice for at least one-month during which time the physician must be continuously present.

Physicians shall not be required to act as supervising physicians.

Physician assistant agreements must be filed with the Board of Registration for the Healing Arts.

Physician assistants must hold a master's degree from a physician assistant program.

Physicians shall not serve as supervising physicians for more than three full-time physician assistants. This limitation does not apply to physician assistant agreements of hospital employees providing inpatient care service in hospitals.

This act is similar to HCS/HB 503 (2005), SCS/SB 1032 (2006), HB 209 (2007), HCS/SCS/SB 308 (2007), SB 346 (2007), and SB 537 (2007).

CHRIS HOGERTY