2006 Minnesota Statutes

147A.01 DEFINITIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Scope. For the purpose of this chapter the terms defined in this section have
the meanings given them.
    Subd. 2. Active status. "Active status" means the status of a person who has met all the
qualifications of a physician assistant, has a physician-physician assistant agreement in force,
and is registered.
    Subd. 3. Administer. "Administer" means the delivery by a physician assistant authorized
to prescribe legend drugs, a single dose of a legend drug, including controlled substances, to a
patient by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or by any other immediate means, and the delivery by a
physician assistant ordered by a physician a single dose of a legend drug by injection, inhalation,
ingestion, or by any other immediate means.
    Subd. 4. Agreement. "Agreement" means the document described in section 147A.20.
    Subd. 5. Alternate supervising physician. "Alternate supervising physician" means a
Minnesota licensed physician listed in the physician-physician assistant agreement who is
responsible for supervising the physician assistant when the main supervising physician is
unavailable. The alternate supervising physician shall accept full medical responsibility for the
performance, practice, and activities of the physician assistant while under the supervision of
the alternate supervising physician.
    Subd. 6. Board. "Board" means the Board of Medical Practice or its designee.
    Subd. 7. Controlled substances. "Controlled substances" has the meaning given it in section
152.01, subdivision 4.
    Subd. 8. Delegation form. "Delegation form" means the form used to indicate the categories
of drugs for which the authority to prescribe, administer, and dispense has been delegated to the
physician assistant and signed by the supervising physician, any alternate supervising physicians,
and the physician assistant. This form is part of the agreement described in section 147A.20, and
shall be maintained by the supervising physician and physician assistant at the address of record.
Copies shall be provided to the board upon request. "Addendum to the delegation form" means a
separate listing of the schedules and categories of controlled substances, if any, for which the
physician assistant has been delegated the authority to prescribe, administer, and dispense. The
addendum shall be maintained as a separate document as described above.
    Subd. 9. Diagnostic order. "Diagnostic order" means a directive to perform a procedure
or test, the purpose of which is to determine the cause and nature of a pathological condition
or disease.
    Subd. 10. Drug. "Drug" has the meaning given it in section 151.01, subdivision 5, including
controlled substances as defined in section 152.01, subdivision 4.
    Subd. 11. Drug category. "Drug category" means one of the categories listed on the
delegation form.
    Subd. 12. Inactive status. "Inactive status" means the status of a person who has met all the
qualifications of a physician assistant, and is registered, but does not have a physician-physician
assistant agreement in force.
    Subd. 13. Internal protocol. "Internal protocol" means a document written by the
supervising physician and the physician assistant which specifies the policies and procedures
which will apply to the physician assistant's prescribing, administering, and dispensing of
legend drugs and medical devices, including controlled substances as defined in section 152.01,
subdivision 4 , and lists the specific categories of drugs and medical devices, with any exceptions
or conditions, that the physician assistant is authorized to prescribe, administer, and dispense. The
supervising physician and physician assistant shall maintain the protocol at the address of record.
Copies shall be provided to the board upon request.
    Subd. 14. Legend drug. "Legend drug" has the meaning given it in section 151.01,
subdivision 17 .
    Subd. 15. Locum tenens permit. "Locum tenens permit" means time specific temporary
permission for a physician assistant to practice as a physician assistant in a setting other than the
practice setting established in the physician-physician assistant agreement.
    Subd. 16. Medical device. "Medical device" means durable medical equipment and assistive
or rehabilitative appliances, objects, or products that are required to implement the overall
plan of care for the patient and that are restricted by federal law to use upon prescription by a
licensed practitioner.
    Subd. 17. Physician. "Physician" means a person currently licensed in good standing as
a physician or osteopath under chapter 147.
    Subd. 18. Physician assistant or registered physician assistant. "Physician assistant" or
"registered physician assistant" means a person registered pursuant to this chapter who is qualified
by academic or practical training or both to provide patient services as specified in this chapter,
under the supervision of a supervising physician.
    Subd. 19. Practice setting description. "Practice setting description" means a signed record
submitted to the board on forms provided by the board, on which:
(1) the supervising physician assumes full medical responsibility for the medical care
rendered by a physician assistant;
(2) is recorded the address and phone number of record of each supervising physician and
alternate, and the physicians' medical license numbers and DEA number;
(3) is recorded the address and phone number of record of the physician assistant and the
physician assistant's registration number and DEA number;
(4) is recorded whether the physician assistant has been delegated prescribing, administering,
and dispensing authority;
(5) is recorded the practice setting, address or addresses and phone number or numbers of
the physician assistant; and
(6) is recorded a statement of the type, amount, and frequency of supervision.
    Subd. 20. Prescribe. "Prescribe" means to direct, order, or designate by means of a
prescription the preparation, use of, or manner of using a drug or medical device.
    Subd. 21. Prescription. "Prescription" means a signed written order, or an oral order
reduced to writing, given by a physician assistant authorized to prescribe drugs for patients in the
course of the physician assistant's practice, issued for an individual patient and containing the
information required in the delegation form.
    Subd. 22. Registration. "Registration" is the process by which the board determines that an
applicant has been found to meet the standards and qualifications found in this chapter.
    Subd. 23. Supervising physician. "Supervising physician" means a Minnesota licensed
physician who accepts full medical responsibility for the performance, practice, and activities of a
physician assistant under an agreement as described in section 147A.20. A supervising physician
shall not supervise more than two full-time equivalent physician assistants simultaneously.
    Subd. 24. Supervision. "Supervision" means overseeing the activities of, and accepting
responsibility for, the medical services rendered by a physician assistant. The constant physical
presence of the supervising physician is not required so long as the supervising physician and
physician assistant are or can be easily in contact with one another by radio, telephone, or other
telecommunication device. The scope and nature of the supervision shall be defined by the
individual physician-physician assistant agreement.
    Subd. 25. Temporary registration. "Temporary registration" means the status of a person
who has satisfied the education requirement specified in this chapter; is enrolled in the next
examination required in this chapter; or is awaiting examination results; has a physician-physician
assistant agreement in force as required by this chapter, and has submitted a practice setting
description to the board. Such provisional registration shall expire 90 days after completion of the
next examination sequence, or after one year, whichever is sooner, for those enrolled in the next
examination; and upon receipt of the examination results for those awaiting examination results.
The registration shall be granted by the board or its designee.
    Subd. 26. Therapeutic order. "Therapeutic order" means an order given to another for the
purpose of treating or curing a patient in the course of a physician assistant's practice. Therapeutic
orders may be written or verbal, but do not include the prescribing of legend drugs or medical
devices unless prescribing authority has been delegated within the physician-physician assistant
agreement.
    Subd. 27. Verbal order. "Verbal order" means an oral order given to another for the purpose
of treating or curing a patient in the course of a physician assistant's practice. Verbal orders do not
include the prescribing of legend drugs unless prescribing authority has been delegated within
the physician-physician assistant agreement.
History: 1995 c 205 art 1 s 1; 2003 c 2 art 1 s 18,19