ARC 4300C

ARC 4300C

PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE DIVISION[645]

Adopted and Filed

Rule making related to remote medical sites

The Board of Physician Assistants hereby amends Chapter 327, "Practice of Physician Assistants," Iowa Administrative Code.

Legal Authority for Rule Making

This rule making is adopted under the authority provided in Iowa Code sections 147.76 and 148C.5.

State or Federal Law Implemented

This rule making implements, in whole or in part, Iowa Code chapters 147, 148, 148C and 272C.

Purpose and Summary

The amendment changes the care coordination between the supervising physician and the physician assistant working at a remote medical site to include electronic communication that will provide real-time patient assessment and treatment. In accordance with Iowa Code section 148C.5, the Board of Physician Assistants is amending its administrative rules in conjunction with the Board of Medicine (ARC 4213C, IAB 1/2/2019). The amendment is intended to reduce the number of waiver requests to improve administrative efficiency. This rule making is required to comply with Iowa Code sections 147.80 and 148C.5.

Public Comment and Changes to Rule Making

Notice of Intended Action for this rule making was published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin on November 21, 2018, as ARC 4130C. A public hearing was held on December 11, 2018, at 7:30 a.m.in the Fifth Floor Conference Room 526, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa. No one attended the public hearing. Written comments expressed that the amendment creates less flexibility between the supervising physician and physician assistant to decide the appropriate level of communication to staff at a remote medical site. No changes from the Notice have been made.

Adoption of Rule Making

This rule making was adopted by the Board on January 16, 2019.

Fiscal Impact

This rule making has no fiscal impact to the State of Iowa.

Jobs Impact

After analysis and review of this rule making, no impact on jobs has been found.

Waivers

A waiver provision is not included in this rule making because all administrative rules of the professional licensure boards in the Professional Licensure Division are subject to the waiver provisions accorded under 645—Chapter 18.

Review by Administrative Rules Review Committee

The Administrative Rules Review Committee, a bipartisan legislative committee which oversees rule making by executive branch agencies, may, on its own motion or on written request by any individual or group, review this rule making at its regular monthly meeting or at a special meeting. The Committee's meetings are open to the public, and interested persons may be heard as provided in Iowa Code section 17A.8(6).

Effective Date

This rule making will become effective on March 20, 2019.

The following rule-making action is adopted:

Amend subrule 327.4(2) as follows:

327.4(2) A The supervising physician must visit a remote site or communicate with the physician assistant at the remote site via electronic communications to provide additional medical direction, medical services and consultation at least every two weeks or less frequently as specified in special circumstances. When visits are less frequent than every two weeks in unusual or emergency circumstances, the board shall be notified in writing of these circumstances. For purposes of this rule, communication may consist of, but shall not be limited to, in-person meetings, two-way interactive communication directly between the supervising physician and the physician assistant via the telephone, secure messaging, electronic mail, or chart review. At least one supervising physician must meet in person with the physician assistant at the remote medical site at least once every six months to evaluate and discuss the medical facilities, resources, and medical services provided at the remote medical site.

[Filed 1/18/19, effective 3/20/19]

[Published 2/13/19]

Editor's Note: For replacement pages for IAC, see IAC Supplement 2/13/19.