ARS § 32-2531

32-2531 - Physician assistant scope of practice; health care tasks; supervision agreements; supervising physician duties; civil penalty 32-2531. Physician assistant scope of practice; health care tasks; supervision agreements; supervising physician duties; civil penalty A. Except as prohibited in subsection E of this section, a physician assistant may provide any legal medical service for which the physician assistant has been prepared by education, training and experience and that the physician assistant is competent to perform, including: 1. Obtaining comprehensive health histories and performing physical examinations. 2. Evaluating and diagnosing patients and managing and providing medical treatment and therapeutic interventions. 3. Ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic studies and therapeutic procedures. 4. Educating patients on health promotion and disease prevention and providing counseling and education to meet patient needs. 5. Providing consultation on request. 6. Writing medical orders. 7. Obtaining informed consent. 8. Assisting in surgery. 9. Delegating and assigning therapeutic and diagnostic measures to and supervising licensed or unlicensed personnel. 10. Making appropriate referrals. 11. Ordering, prescribing, dispensing and administering drugs and medical devices. 12. Prescribing prescription-only medications. 13. Prescribing schedule IV or schedule V controlled substances as defined in the controlled substances act (P.L. 91-513; 84 Stat. 1242; 21 United States Code section 802). 14. Prescribing schedule II and schedule III controlled substances as defined in the controlled substances act. 15. Performing minor surgery. 16. Performing nonsurgical health care tasks that are normally taught in courses of training approved by the board and that are consistent with the physician assistant's education, training and experience. 17. Certifying the health or disability of a patient as required by any local, state or federal program. 18. Ordering home health services. B. Pursuant to the requirements of this chapter and the standard of care, a physician assistant who has at least eight thousand hours of clinical practice certified by the board pursuant to section 32-2536 is not required to practice pursuant to a supervision agreement but shall continue to collaborate with, consult with or refer to the appropriate health care professional as indicated by the patient's condition and by the physician assistant's education, experience and competencies. The level of collaboration required by this subsection is determined by the policies of the practice setting at which the physician assistant is employed, including a physician employer, physician group practice or health care institution. Collaboration, consultation or a referral pursuant to this subsection may occur through electronic means and does not require the physical presence of the appropriate health care professional at the time or place the physician assistant provides medical services. This subsection does not prohibit a physician assistant who has at least eight thousand hours of clinical practice certified by the board pursuant to section 32-2536 from practicing pursuant to a supervision agreement. C. A physician assistant who has less than eight thousand hours of clinical practice certified by the board shall work in accordance with a supervision agreement that describes the physician assistant's scope of practice. A physician assistant may not perform health care tasks until the physician assistant has completed and signed a supervision agreement. Under a supervision agreement, supervision may occur through electronic means and does not require the physical presence of the supervising physician at the time or place the physician assistant provides medical services. The supervision agreement must be kept on file at the main location of the physician assistant's practice and, on request, be made available to the board or the board's representative. On receipt of board certification of the physician assistant's completion of at least eight thousand hours of clinical practice, a physician assistant is no longer subject to the requirements of this subsection. The board may count practice hours earned in another jurisdiction toward the hours of clinical practice required by this subsection. D. A physician assistant who does not practice pursuant to a supervision agreement is legally responsible for the health care services performed by the physician assistant. E. A physician assistant shall not perform surgical abortions as defined in section 36-2151. F. A physician assistant may pronounce death and may authenticate, by the physician assistant's signature, certification, stamp, verification, affidavit or endorsement, any form that may be authenticated by a physician's signature, certification, stamp, verification, affidavit or endorsement. G. The board by rule may prescribe a civil penalty for a violation of this article. The penalty shall not exceed $50 for each violation. The board shall deposit, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, all monies it receives from this penalty in the state general fund. A physician assistant and the supervising physician or collaborating physician or entity may contest the imposition of this penalty pursuant to board rule. The imposition of a civil penalty is public information, and the board may use this information in any future disciplinary actions.