PA Act of 2019

A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE "PA ACT OF 2019" BY ADDING SECTION 40-47-936 SO AS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN ORDERS PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS MAY PLACE TO BE PERFORMED BY LICENSED PERSONNEL PURSUANT TO THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE OF THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT; BY ADDING SECTION 40-47-1025 SO AS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PROVISIONS MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT THE EMPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENT OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS; BY ADDING SECTION 40-47-1030 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS MAY APPROVE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS TO ENTER INTO NONDISCIPLINARY ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS AND TO PROVIDE CONFIDENTIALITY OF RELATED RECORDS; BY ADDING SECTION 40-47-1035 SO AS TO PROVIDE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS MAY BE CONSIDERED PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS OR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS WHEN PRACTICING IN THE MEDICAL SPECIALTIES REQUIRED FOR PHYSICIANS TO BE PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS OR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, AND TO CLARIFY THE AFFECT ON RELATED WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND SCOPES OF PRACTICE; BY ADDING SECTION 40-47-1040 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE BOARD MAY MAKE SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR LICENSURES OF APPLICANTS WHO HAVE BEEN CLINICALLY INACTIVE FOR MORE THAN TWENTY-FOUR MONTHS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE SPECIAL PROVISIONS, AND TO PROVIDE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS WHO HAVE BEEN FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OF CERTAIN ACCREDITED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED TO HAVE BEEN CLINICALLY INACTIVE FOR LICENSURE OR LICENSE RENEWAL PURPOSES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-195, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SUPERVISING PHYSICIANS IN SCOPE OF PRACTICES, SO AS TO REVISE RELATED REQUIREMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-20, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING PHYSICIANS AND MISCELLANEOUS HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, SO AS TO REVISE NECESSARY TERMS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-113, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIPS, SO AS TO MAKE A CONFORMING CHANGE; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-910, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS PRACTICE ACT, SO AS TO REVISE AND PROVIDE NECESSARY DEFINITIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-915, RELATING TO THE APPLICABILITY OF THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS PRACTICE ACT, SO AS TO REVISE THE CRITERIA FOR PERSONS SUBJECT TO THE ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-925, RELATING TO THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE BOARD, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-930, RELATING TO THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE AND BOARD, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS AND MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-935, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO ACTS AND DUTIES THAT PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS ARE AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM, SO AS TO EXPAND THE RANGE OF THESE ACTS AND DUTIES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-938, RELATING TO SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE RELATIONSHIPS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-940, RELATING TO THE LICENSURE APPLICATION PROCESS AND TEMPORARY LICENSES, SO AS TO REVISE THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGENCY LICENSES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-945, RELATING TO CONDITIONS FOR GRANTING PERMANENT LICENSES FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-950, RELATING TO LIMITED PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT LICENSES, SO AS TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE LICENSES, MODIFY THE ROLE OF SUPERVISING PHYSICIANS, AND MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-955, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SCOPE OF PRACTICE, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS AND INCLUDE REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING TELEMEDICINE, AMONG OTHER THINGS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-960, RELATING TO REQUIRED CONTENT IN SCOPE OF PRACTICES, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIRED CONTENT AND PROVIDE SCOPE OF PRACTICES MAY BE IN WRITTEN OR ELECTRONIC FORMAT; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-965, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS WHEN PRESCRIBING CERTAIN TREATMENTS, SO AS TO EXPAND THE AUTHORITY OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS TO PRESCRIBE SUCH TREATMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-970, RELATING TO MEDICAL TASKS, ACTS, AND FUNCTIONS THAT PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS MAY PERFORM, SO AS TO ELIMINATE RESTRICTIONS ON PRESCRIBING CERTAIN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND RESTRICTIONS ON PERFORMING ACTS OUTSIDE THE USUAL PRACTICE OF THEIR SUPERVISING PHYSICIANS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-985, RELATING TO UNSCHEDULED INSPECTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY MAKE OF FACILITIES EMPLOYING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-990, RELATING TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS AND PROVIDE FOR EXCEPTIONS DURING UNPLANNED EMERGENCIES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-1000, RELATING TO UNLAWFUL REPRESENTATION OF ONESELF AS A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, SO AS TO ALLOW THAT PERSONS WHO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF CHAPTER 47, TITLE 40 MAY REPRESENT THEMSELVES AS BEING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, BUT MAY NOT PERFORM PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT ACTS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-1005, RELATING TO GROUNDS FOR MISCONDUCT MANDATING DISCIPLINE, SO AS TO REVISE THESE GROUNDS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-1015, RELATING TO LICENSURE FEES, SO AS TO REVISE THE FEES; TO AMEND SECTION 40-47-1020, RELATING TO THIRD PARTY REIMBURSEMENTS OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 40-47-995 RELATING TO THE TERMINATION OF SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PHYSICIANS AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.