4103214 Rule Amendments involving Physician Assistants

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

 

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

 

The Director of the Department of Health (“Department”), pursuant to the authority set forth in District of Columbia Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-99; D.C. Official Code §§ 3-1201.01 et seq. ( 2012 Supp.)), as amended, and Mayor’s Order 98-140, dated August 20, 1998, hereby gives notice of his intent to take final rulemaking action to adopt the following amendments to chapter 49 (Physician Assistants) of title 17 (Business, Occupations, and Professions) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR) in not less than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.

 

The purpose of the amendments is to amend the delegation regulations allowing physician assistants to pronounce death, to revise chart signing regulations, and to further ensure the relationship between a physician assistant and supervising physician complies with the requirements of chapter 49.

 

The following rulemaking action is proposed:

 

Chapter 49, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, of Title 17, BUSINESS, OCCUPATIONS, AND PROFESSIONS, is amended as follows:

 

Subsection 4902.1 is amended to read as follows

 

4902.1                An applicant shall furnish proof satisfactory to the Board that the applicant

                   has successfully completed an educational program to practice as a physician

                   assistant accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and

                   Accreditation (CAHEA) or its successors by submitting to the Board, with a

                   completed application, a certified transcript and an official statement

                   verifying graduation from an educational program.

 

Subsection 4911.3 is amended to read as follows:

 

4911.3        Physician assistants may pronounce the death of patients under their care and

                   authenticate with their signature any form that may be authenticated by a

                   supervising physician, consistent with the permission granted by their

                   supervisors, if such is specifically included among the permitted responsibilities

                   outlined in the delegation agreement.

 

Subsection 4914.4 is amended to read as follows

 

4914.4        It is the obligation of each team of physician(s) and physician assistant(s) to                                                           

 ensure that the physician assistant's scope of practice is identified; that

                   delegation of medical tasks is appropriate to the physician assistant's level of

                   competence; that the relationship of, and access to, the supervising physician(s)

                   is defined; and that a process for evaluation of the physician assistant's

      performance is established.  If the physician assistant is authorized to practice in  

      a licensed health care facility or other practice setting, that entity is also    

      responsible for assuring the above through its credentialing and privileging or

      equivalent process.

 

Subsection 4914.9 is amended to read as follows:

 

4914.9            Each physician assistant and one of the supervising physicians listed on the

                 delegation agreement must complete a practice advisory review on a quarterly

                 basis and document the review on a form kept on file in a personnel file at the

                 location in which the physician assistant practices.

 

 

Subsection 4916.3 is amended to read as follows:

 

4916.3            A licensed physician assistant may, if permissible under the bylaws, rules and

                 regulations of the practice setting, write medical orders, including those for

                 controlled substances, for patients under the care of the physician responsible

                 for his/her supervision.

 

Subsection 4916.4 is amended to read as follows:

 

4916.4      Repealed

 

 

 

All persons desiring to comment on the subject of this proposed rulemaking should file comments in writing not later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.  Comments should be sent to Kenneth Campbell, Department of Health, Office of the General Counsel, 899 North Capitol Street, N.E., 5^th Floor, Washington, D.C., 20002.  Copies of the proposed rules may be obtained from the Department at the same address during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.  Requests may be communicated by calling [phone] or by addressing e-mails to [e-mail].