The Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine finalized the regulations to implement the Physician Assistant modernization bills, Act 78 of 2021 and Act 79 of 2021. The Acts removed unnecessary restrictions on Physician Assistants (PAs), placed decision making with PAs and supervising physician(s), placed a permanent PA representative on the Medical and Osteopathic Boards, allowed the filing of written agreements without needing prior approval of written agreement (states that already allow this do not show an increase in malpractice/reportable events), removed the 100 percent countersignature requirement and allowed supervising physicians to determine need for countersignature, and aligned the supervision requirements under the Medical Board and Osteopathic Board. A summary of the changes in the Medical and Osteopathic Practice Acts after passage of SB 397 and 398 is available on the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants (PSPA) website. Click here for the final rulemaking on IRRC’s website.
