FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 2917

                                  C 196 L 90

BYHouse Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Braddock, Schoon, Sprenkle and Wang)

Changing provisions relating to physician assistants.

House Committe on Health Care

Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Licensed physician's assistants are regulated by the Board of Medical Examiners to practice medicine to a limited extent under the supervision of a physician after completing an approved training program.  The qualifications and training requirements are established by rules of the board.

A physician must submit an application to the board to use the services of a physician's assistant.  The physician assistant is not required to submit an application.

Physician's assistants are not authorized to prescribe controlled substances.

Persons desiring to practice acupuncture may be licensed by the board as physician assistant acupuncturists.

The board is composed of six members, including four physicians; one physician's assistant, who may vote only on matters directly related to physicians' assistants; and one non-physician.

SUMMARY:

A licensed physician assistant is defined as a person who practices medicine to a limited extent only under the supervision of a physician and is academically and clinically prepared to perform diagnostic, therapeutic, preventative, and health maintenance services. Physician assistants must complete a training program approved by the Board of Medical Examiners and be eligible to take an approved examination on subjects substantially equivalent to the curriculum of an accredited physician assistant training program.

A physician's application to employ a physician assistant must be submitted by both the physician and the physician assistant.

Physician assistants are authorized to prescribe controlled substances.

The authority to license physician assistant acupuncturists is repealed, although persons currently licensed may continue to perform acupuncture as long as they maintain licensure as physician assistants.

The physician assistant member of the Board of Medical Examiners may participate in all matters coming before the board, not just matters affecting physician assistants.  The number of non-physician members on the board is increased to two.

References to "physician's assistants" are changed to "physician assistants" and gender specific references are corrected.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 95   3

      Senate    48     0 (Senate amended)

      House 92   0 (House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:June 7, 1990