Back to All NewsNew Bill Calls for Minimum Required Supervision Time for Physician Assistants in Oregon
Posted By American Med Spa Association, Friday, January 18, 2019
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A new bill introduced in Oregon would require physician assistants (PA) to receive a certain minimum amount of supervision time each month. The bill is filed in the House of Representatives by Representative Nosse and Senator Beyer and has been initially referred to Speaker’s desk. You can review the text of House Bill 2695 (HB 2695) in full here. There is also an identical companion bill filed in the Senate under Senate Bill 127.
HB 2695 would require that PAs receive a minimum about of supervision by their supervising physician each month. The number of hours varies based on how many hours the PA works each week. For PAs that practice 30 or more hours a week and have been practicing less than 2 consecutive years the physician must provide 8 hours a month of on-site supervision. For PAs that practice less than 30 hours the supervision time is prorated but not less than 2 hours a month. For PAs that practice under multiple practice agreements each physician must provide prorated supervision time but not less than 2 hours a month from each supervising physician. The PA and physician are permitted to substitute some of this on-site face-to-face time with meetings using real-time electronic communication. A PA working more than 30 hours a week can substitute up to 4 hours of the on-site time with electronic communication. PAs working under 30 hours can substitute a proportional prorated amount with electronic meetings. Once the PA has been practicing for more than 2 consecutive years they may receive all of their supervision via real-time electronic means. This bill is a bit unusual as the general national trend has been to provide PAs greater practice autonomy and allow the PA and physician to work out how much supervision or collaboration is appropriate. In that sense HB 2695 is well behind the general trend.
We will be monitoring HB 2695 as it works its way through Oregon’s legislative process this year. If you would like to contact HB 2695’s sponsors, they can be reached via the legislature’s website.
HB 2695 would require that PAs receive a minimum about of supervision by their supervising physician each month. The number of hours varies based on how many hours the PA works each week. For PAs that practice 30 or more hours a week and have been practicing less than 2 consecutive years the physician must provide 8 hours a month of on-site supervision. For PAs that practice less than 30 hours the supervision time is prorated but not less than 2 hours a month. For PAs that practice under multiple practice agreements each physician must provide prorated supervision time but not less than 2 hours a month from each supervising physician. The PA and physician are permitted to substitute some of this on-site face-to-face time with meetings using real-time electronic communication. A PA working more than 30 hours a week can substitute up to 4 hours of the on-site time with electronic communication. PAs working under 30 hours can substitute a proportional prorated amount with electronic meetings. Once the PA has been practicing for more than 2 consecutive years they may receive all of their supervision via real-time electronic means. This bill is a bit unusual as the general national trend has been to provide PAs greater practice autonomy and allow the PA and physician to work out how much supervision or collaboration is appropriate. In that sense HB 2695 is well behind the general trend.
We will be monitoring HB 2695 as it works its way through Oregon’s legislative process this year. If you would like to contact HB 2695’s sponsors, they can be reached via the legislature’s website.
