TITLE
16 OCCUPATIONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL LICENSING
CHAPTER 17 OSTEOPATHIC
MEDICINE
PART 9 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS: LICENSURE AND PRACTICE
REQUIREMENTS
16.17.9.1 ISSUING AGENCY:
Regulation and Licensing Department - New Mexico Board
of Osteopathic Medicine.
[16.17.9.1 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.2 SCOPE:
All licensed osteopathic physician assistants.
[16.17.9.2 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.3 STATUTORY
AUTHORITY: These rules of practice and procedure govern
the practice of osteopathic medicine in New Mexico and are promulgated pursuant
to and in accordance with the Osteopathic Medicine Act, Section 61-10-5 NMSA
1978.
[16.17.9.3 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.4 DURATION:
Permanent.
[16.17.9.4 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.5 EFFECTIVE
DATE: June 11, 2018, unless a later date is cited
at the end of a section.
[16.17.9.5 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.6 OBJECTIVE:
This part regulates the licensing
and practice of physician assistants and their supervision
by licensed physicians.
[16.17.9.6 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.7 DEFINITIONS:
A. “AAPA”
means American academy of physician assistants.
B. “Effective
supervision” means the exercise of physician oversight, control, and direction
of services rendered by a physician assistant.
Elements of effective supervision include:
(1) on-going availability of direct communication, either
face-to-face, telephonically or by electronic means;
(2) active,
ongoing review of the physician assistant’s services, as appropriate, for
quality assurance and professional support;
(3) a
predetermined plan for emergency situations; and
(4) identification
of other supervising physicians, as appropriate to the practice setting.
C. “NCCPA”
means national commission on certification of physician assistants.
D. “Direct
communication” means communication between the supervising physician and
physician assistant, in person, telephonically, by email or other electronic
means.
E. “Scope
of practice” means duties and limitations of duties placed upon a physician
assistant by their supervising physician and the board; includes the
limitations implied by the field of practice of the supervising physician.
F. “Supervising
physician” means a physician who holds a current unrestricted license, or a
physician with a stipulated license with expressed board approval to supervise
a physician assistant, and provides a notification of supervision, assumes
legal responsibility for health care tasks performed by the physician assistant
and is approved by the board.
G. “PANCE”
means physician assistant national certifying exam.
[16.17.9.7 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.8 QUALIFICATIONS FOR
LICENSURE AS A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT:
A. shall have successfully completed a physician assistant program accredited by the:
(1) accreditation review commission on education for the physician assistant; or
(2) if prior to January 1, 2001, either the:
(a) committee on accreditation of allied health education programs; or
(b) committee on allied health education and accreditation;
(c) or its successor
agency.
B. shall
have successfully completed the physician assistant national certifying exam
issued and administered by the national commission on certification
of physician assistants (NCCPA).
C. be of good moral and professional
character; and
D. submit any other proof of competency as may be requested by the board.
[16.17.9.8 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.9 APPLICATION FOR LICENSURE:
A. A completed application for which
the applicant has supplied all information and correspondence requested by the
board on forms and in a manner acceptable to the board.
B. Two letters of recommendation from
physicians licensed to practice medicine in the United States or physician
assistant program directors, or the director’s designee, who have personal
knowledge of the applicant’s moral character and competence to practice.
C. Verification
of licensure in all states where the applicant holds or has held a license to
practice as a physician assistant, or other health care profession.
Verification must be sent directly to the board from the other state board(s).
D. Verification
of all work experience in the last two years, if applicable, provided directly
to the board.
E. All
applicants may be scheduled for a personal interview before the board or the board’s
designee and must present original documents, as the board requires. The
initial license will be issued following completion of any required interview,
or approval by a member or agent of the board.
F. License
by endorsement from New Mexico medical board. Applicants who are currently
licensed in good standing by the New Mexico medical board may be licensed by
endorsement upon receipt of a verification of licensure directly from the New
Mexico medical board, and a supervising physician form signed by the osteopathic
physician who will serve as supervising physician.
G. All
applicants for licensure who meet the requirements for licensure will be
granted a temporary license and the license will be ratified at its next
scheduled meeting.
[16.17.9.9 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.10 BIENNIAL LICENSURE RENEWAL
REQUIREMENTS:
A. Before
July 1st, the year the license is due to expire, all
physician assistants must submit an application for renewal form provided by
the board. Physician assistants
who fail to renew their certificates as of July 1st, will be subject to
suspension of their license.
B. Proof
of CME upon request or audit.
C. Renewal
fee set forth in 16.17.2.8 NMAC.
D. A
renewal of licensure will be valid for a period of two years and the expiration
date will be printed on the certificate of licensure.
[16.17.9.10 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.11 APPROVAL OF SUPERVISING PHYSICIANS:
A. A
physician may supervise and collaborate with no more than three physician
assistants and communicate within the circumstances of their particular
practice setting.
B. All
supervising physicians shall submit written notice of intent to supervise a
physician assistant on forms prescribed by the board.
C. Within
30 days after an employer terminates the employment of a physician assistant,
the supervising physician or the physician assistant shall submit a written
notice to the board providing the date of termination and reason for
termination.
D. A
physician assistant who is employed by the United States government and who
works on land or in facilities owned or operated by the United States government
or a physician assistant who is a member of the reserve components of the
United States and on official orders or performing official duties as outlined
in the appropriate regulation of that branch may be licensed in New Mexico with
proof that their supervising physician holds an active medical license in
another state.
[16.17.9.11 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.12 SUPERVISION OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT: Supervision of a physician
assistant must be rendered by a licensed supervising physician.
A. Responsibility
of supervising physician.
(1) Provide
direction to the physician assistant to specify what medical services should be
rendered. This may be done through a
written utilization plan or by other direct communications.
(2) Provide
a means for immediate communication between the physician assistant and the
supervising physician.
(3) Temporarily
delegating supervisory responsibilities to another supervising physician during
the supervising physician’s period of absence.
B. A
quality assurance program for review of medical services provided by the
physician assistant must be in place.
[16.17.9.12 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.13 SCOPE OF PRACTICE:
A. Unless
otherwise provided by law, physician assistants may provide medical services
delegated to them by the supervising physician when such services are within
the physician assistant’s skills and form a usual component of the physician’s
scope of practice.
B. A
physician assistant may assist a designated supervising physician in an
inpatient or surgical health care institution within the institution’s bylaws
or policies including act as a first surgical assistant in the performance of
surgery, when permitted by the institution’s bylaws or regulations.
[16.17.9.13 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
16.17.9.14 CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
A. If
a licensee has been practicing for at least two years, and applying for a new
license, or upon licensure renewal, 50 hours of continuing education are
required in the preceding two years for licensure.
(1) Of the 50 hours, 34 hours must be category
1A.
(2) Of the 50 hours, 30 hours must be in
the area in which the physician assistant is currently practicing.
B. Applicants
for licensure who have graduated from their physician assistant program in the
previous two years are exempt from the continuing education requirements; or
C. Proof
of current NCCPA certification will meet the continuing education requirements.
[16.17.9.14 NMAC - N, 6-11-2018]
HISTORY
OF 16.17.9 NMAC:
History
of Repealed Material:
16.17.9 NMAC Physicians Supervising Pharmacist Clinicians, repealed
effective 6-11-2018.