BILL REQ. #:  H-1698.2 

Read first time 02/24/2005.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

     AN ACT Relating to physician assistants; adding a new section to chapter 18.57A RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 18.71A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 18.57A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) An osteopathic physician's assistant licensed in this state or licensed or authorized to practice in any other United States jurisdiction or who is credentialed as an osteopathic physician's assistant by a federal employer who is responding to a need for medical care created by an emergency or a state or local disaster (not to be defined as an emergency situation that occurs in the place of one's employment) may render such care that the osteopathic physician's assistant is able to provide without supervision as it is defined in this chapter, or with such supervision as is available.
     (2) An osteopathic physician who supervises an osteopathic physician's assistant providing medical care in response to an emergency or state or local disaster is not required to meet the requirements set forth in this chapter for a supervising physician.
     (3) An osteopathic physician's assistant licensed in this state or licensed or authorized to practice in other states of the United States who voluntarily and gratuitously, and other than in the ordinary course of employment or practice, renders emergency medical assistance is not liable for civil damages for any personal injuries that result from acts or omissions by the osteopathic physician's assistant in rendering emergency care that may constitute ordinary negligence. The immunity granted by this section does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, willful, or wanton negligence or when the medical assistance is rendered at any hospital, physician's office, or other health care delivery entity where those services are normally rendered. An osteopathic physician who supervises an osteopathic physician's assistant voluntarily and gratuitously providing emergency care as described in this subsection is not liable for civil damages for any personal injuries that result from acts or omissions by the osteopathic physician's assistant rendering emergency care.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 18.71A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A physician assistant licensed in this state or licensed or authorized to practice in any other United States jurisdiction or who is credentialed as a physician assistant by a federal employer who is responding to a need for medical care created by an emergency or a state or local disaster (not to be defined as an emergency situation that occurs in the place of one's employment) may render such care that the physician assistant is able to provide without supervision as it is defined in this chapter, or with such supervision as is available.
     (2) A physician who supervises a physician assistant providing medical care in response to an emergency or state or local disaster is not required to meet the requirements set forth in this chapter for a supervising physician.
     (3) A physician assistant licensed in this state or licensed or authorized to practice in other states of the United States who voluntarily and gratuitously, and other than in the ordinary course of employment or practice, renders emergency medical assistance is not liable for civil damages for any personal injuries that result from acts or omissions by the physician assistant in rendering emergency care that may constitute ordinary negligence. The immunity granted by this section does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, willful, or wanton negligence or when the medical assistance is rendered at any hospital, physician's office, or other health care delivery entity where those services are normally rendered. A physician who supervises a physician assistant voluntarily and gratuitously providing emergency care as described in this subsection is not liable for civil damages for any personal injuries that result from acts or omissions by the physician assistant rendering emergency care.