PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
(Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-854-020 Osteopathic physician assistant program, 246-854-080 Osteopathic physician assistant licensure, and 246-854-090 Osteopathic physician assistant practice plan.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.57A.020.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The board is considering amending the rule regarding supervision requirement for osteopathic physician assistants (PA). Currently, osteopathic physicians who supervise a PA must review and sign all PA's records. This is not required of medical doctors who supervise PAs. PAs may practice during training, after successful completion of a training course, and after successful completion of the board approved exam. The supervision requirement is dependent upon the level of education and training of the PA. The intent is to reduce the burden of extensive paperwork for the osteopathic physician who supervises a PA.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making, mailings to interested parties and review at regular board meetings.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Arlene Robertson, Program Manager, P.O. Box 47869, Olympia, WA 98504-7869, phone (360) 236-4945, fax (360) 236-2406, e-mail Arlene.Robertson@doh.wa.gov. Interested parties may participate at board meetings or submit written comments.
August 6, 2003
Robert Nicoloff
Executive Director