It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 5-54-2, 5-54-6 and 5-54-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-54 entitled "Physician Assistants" are hereby amended to read as follows:
5-54-2. Definitions. -- As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings:
(1) "Administrator" means the administrator, division of professional regulation.
(2) "Approved program" means a program for the education and training of physician assistants that has been formally approved by the American medical association's (A.M.A.'s) committee on allied health, education and accreditation, its successor, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or its successor.
(3) "Board" means the board of licensure of physician assistants.
(4) "Director" means the director of the department of health.
(5) "Division" means the division of professional regulation, department of health.
(6) "Formulary committee" means a committee empowered to develop a list of medications that physician assistants may prescribe.
(7) "Physician" means a person licensed under the provisions of chapters 29 or 37 of this title.
(8) "Physician assistant" means a person not a physician nor person holding a medical doctor or equivalent degree who is qualified by academic and practical training to provide those certain patient services under the supervision, control, responsibility and direction of a licensed physician.
(9) "Supervision" means overseeing the activities of, and accepting the responsibility for the medical services rendered by the physician assistants. Supervision shall be continuous, and under the direct control of a licensed physician expert in the field of medicine in which the physician assistants practice. The constant physical presence of the supervising physician or physician designee is not required. It is the responsibility of the supervising physician and physician assistant to assure an appropriate level of supervision depending on the services being rendered. Each physician or group of physicians, or other health care delivery organization excluding licensed hospital or licensed health care facilities controlled or operated by a licensed hospital employing physician assistant(s) must have on file at the primary practice site a copy of a policy in the form of an agreement between the supervising physician(s) and physician assistant(s) delineating:
(A) the level of supervision provided by the supervising physician(s) or designee(s) with particular reference to differing levels of supervision depending on the type of patient services provided and requirements for communication between the supervising physician(s) or designee(s) and the physician assistant.
(B) a job description for the physician assistant listing patient care responsibilities and procedures to be performed by the physician assistant.
(C) a program for quality assurance for physician assistant services including requirements for periodic review of the physician assistant services.
Requirements for supervision of physician assistants employed or extended medical staff privileges by licensed hospitals or other licensed health care facilities or employed by other health care delivery agencies shall be delineated by the medical staff bylaws and/or applicable governing authority of the facility.
The supervising physician or physician designee must be available for easy communication and referral at all times.
{ADD (10) "Approved program for continuing medical education" shall mean a program for continuing education approved by the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education of the American Medical Association (AMA), or the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAPFP) or the American Osteopathic Association Committee on Continuing Medical Education (AOACCME) or any other board approved program. ADD}
5-54-6. Board of licensure -- Organization and meetings -- Compensation of members. -- The board shall elect its own chairperson annually and shall meet at the call of the administrator, the chairperson or upon the request of two (2) or more members of the board. A quorum shall consist of at least three (3) members present. {ADD The board shall approve programs for continuing medical education. ADD} Board members shall serve without compensation.
5-54-7. Board of licensure -- Powers and duties. -- (a) The board shall administer, coordinate, and enforce the provisions of this chapter, approve programs for the training of physician assistants, evaluate the qualifications of applicants, supervise any examination of applicants deemed necessary, recommend to the director the commencement of disciplinary hearings in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42 and the provisions of this chapter and shall investigate persons engaging in practices which violate the provisions of this chapter. This authority shall specifically encompass practicing physician assistants, supervisory physicians, and those health care agencies employing physician assistants. The board shall investigate all such persons and agencies engaging in practices which violate the provisions in this chapter.
(b) The board shall conduct such hearings of a non-disciplinary nature and keep such records and minutes as shall be necessary to an orderly dispatch of business.
(c) The board shall, with the approval of the director of health, adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this chapter and may amend or repeal the same.
(d) Regular meetings of the board shall be held at such time and places as it prescribes and special meetings may be held upon the call of the chairperson provided that at least one regular meeting be held each year.
(e) The conferral or enumeration of specific powers elsewhere in this chapter shall not be construed as a limitation of the general powers conferred by this section.
(f) The board shall recommend to the director for registration those persons meeting the criteria set forth by this chapter.
(g) The board shall recommend to the director the revocation or suspension of the registration of any physician assistant who does not conform to the requirements of this chapter or regulations adopted thereunder.
(h) In accordance with its authority under subsection (a) of this section, the board shall also make recommendations to the director for discipline of supervising physicians and employing health care agencies found wanting in their use of physician assistants.
{ADD (i) The board shall approve programs for continuing medical education. ADD}
SECTION 2. Chapter 5-54 of the General Laws entitled "Physician Assistants" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
{ADD 5-54-12.1. Continuing medical education. -- ADD} {ADD Every physician assistant licensed to practice within the state shall be required to have satisfactorily completed ten (10) hours of approved continuing medical education annually. The annual period for accumulation of continuing medical education hours shall commence on the first day of September and run through the thirty-first day of August beginning in 1996. Beginning with the annual renewal period commencing the first day of August 1997 the administrator shall not renew the certificate of licensure until satisfactory evidence of completion of the required continuing medical education has been provided to the division. ADD}
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
