S-3220.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6070
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1992 Regular Session
By Senators Amondson and Snyder
Read first time 01/14/92. Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.
AN ACT Relating to physician's assistants; and amending RCW 18.57A.020 and 18.71A.020.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 18.57A.020 and 1971 ex.s. c 30 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
The board shall adopt rules and regulations fixing the qualifications and the educational and training requirements for persons who may be employed as osteopathic physician's assistants or who may be enrolled in any physician's training program.
The board shall, in addition, adopt rules and regulations governing the extent to which physician's assistants may practice medicine during training and after successful completion of a training course. Such regulations shall provide:
(1) That the practice of an osteopathic physician's assistant shall be limited to the performance of those services for which he is trained; and
(2) That each osteopathic physician's assistant shall practice medicine only under the supervision and control of an osteopathic physician licensed in this state, but such supervision and control shall not be construed to necessarily require the personal presence of the supervising physician at the place where services are rendered. The board may authorize the use of alternative supervisors who are licensed either under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW.
Sec. 2. RCW 18.71A.020 and 1990 c 196 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The board shall adopt rules fixing the qualifications and the educational and training requirements for persons who may be employed as physician assistants or who may be enrolled in any physician assistant training program. The requirements shall include completion of an accredited physician assistant training program approved by the board and eligibility to take an examination approved by the board, provided such examination tests subjects substantially equivalent to the curriculum of an accredited physician assistant training program. Physician assistants licensed by the board on June 7, 1990, shall continue to be licensed.
(2)(a) The board shall adopt rules governing the extent to which:
(i) Physician assistant students may practice medicine during training; and
(ii) Physician assistants may practice after successful completion of a physician assistant training course.
(b) Such rules shall provide:
(i) That the practice of a physician assistant shall be limited to the performance of those services for which he or she is trained; and
(ii) That each physician assistant shall practice medicine only under the supervision and control of a physician licensed in this state, but such supervision and control shall not be construed to necessarily require the personal presence of the supervising physician at the place where services are rendered. The board may authorize the use of alternative supervisors who are licensed either under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW.