SB3175 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 19814 ZMM 55032 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB3175

Introduced 2/11/2014, by Sen. Donne E. Trotter

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 95/4

from Ch. 111, par. 4604

Amends the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Changes the definition of "physician" to include a person licensed under the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 is amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

(225 ILCS 95/4) (from Ch. 111, par. 4604)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2018)

Sec. 4. In this Act:

1. "Department" means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

2. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation.

3. "Physician assistant" means any person who has been certified as a physician assistant by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants or equivalent successor agency and performs procedures under the supervision of a physician as defined in this Act. A physician assistant may perform such procedures within the specialty of the supervising physician, except that such physician shall exercise such direction, supervision and control over such physician assistants as will assure that patients shall receive quality medical care. Physician assistants shall be capable of performing a variety of tasks within the specialty of medical care under the supervision of a physician. Supervision of the physician assistant shall not be construed to necessarily require the personal presence of the supervising physician at all times at the place where services are rendered, as long as there is communication available for consultation by radio, telephone or telecommunications within established guidelines as determined by the physician/physician assistant team. The supervising physician may delegate tasks and duties to the physician assistant. Delegated tasks or duties shall be consistent with physician assistant education, training, and experience. The delegated tasks or duties shall be specific to the practice setting and shall be implemented and reviewed under a written supervision agreement established by the physician or physician/physician assistant team. A physician assistant, acting as an agent of the physician, shall be permitted to transmit the supervising physician's orders as determined by the institution's by-laws, policies, procedures, or job description within which the physician/physician assistant team practices. Physician assistants shall practice only in accordance with a written supervision agreement.

4. "Board" means the Medical Licensing Board constituted under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

5. "Disciplinary Board" means the Medical Disciplinary Board constituted under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

6. "Physician" means, for purposes of this Act, a person licensed to practice medicine in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 or a person licensed under the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987.

7. "Supervising Physician" means, for the purposes of this Act, the primary supervising physician of a physician assistant, who, within his specialty and expertise may delegate a variety of tasks and procedures to the physician assistant. Such tasks and procedures shall be delegated in accordance with a written supervision agreement. The supervising physician maintains the final responsibility for the care of the patient and the performance of the physician assistant.

8. "Alternate supervising physician" means, for the purpose of this Act, any physician designated by the supervising physician to provide supervision in the event that he or she is unable to provide that supervision. The Department may further define "alternate supervising physician" by rule.

The alternate supervising physicians shall maintain all the same responsibilities as the supervising physician. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as relieving any physician of the professional or legal responsibility for the care and treatment of persons attended by him or by physician assistants under his supervision. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to limit the reasonable number of alternate supervising physicians, provided they are designated by the supervising physician.

9. "Address of record" means the designated address recorded by the Department in the applicant's or licensee's application file or license file maintained by the Department's licensure maintenance unit. It is the duty of the applicant or licensee to inform the Department of any change of address, and such changes must be made either through the Department's website or by contacting the Department's licensure maintenance unit.

(Source: P.A. 96-268, eff. 8-11-09; 97-1071, eff. 8-24-12.)