Subdivision 1. Scope of practice. Physician assistants shall practice medicine only with physician supervision. Physician assistants may perform those duties and responsibilities as delegated in the physician-physician assistant delegation agreement and delegation forms maintained at the address of record by the supervising physician and physician assistant, including the prescribing, administering, and dispensing of drugs, controlled substances, and medical devices, excluding anesthetics, other than local anesthetics, injected in connection with an operating room procedure, inhaled anesthesia and spinal anesthesia.

Patient service must be limited to:

(1) services within the training and experience of the physician assistant;

(2) services customary to the practice of the supervising physician or alternate supervising physician;

(3) services delegated by the supervising physician or alternate supervising physician under the physician-physician assistant delegation agreement; and

(4) services within the parameters of the laws, rules, and standards of the facilities in which the physician assistant practices.

Nothing in this chapter authorizes physician assistants to perform duties regulated by the boards listed in section 214.01, subdivision 2, other than the Board of Medical Practice, and except as provided in this section.

Subd. 2. Delegation. Patient services may include, but are not limited to, the following, as delegated by the supervising physician and authorized in the delegation agreement:

(1) taking patient histories and developing medical status reports;

(2) performing physical examinations;

(3) interpreting and evaluating patient data;

(4) ordering or performing diagnostic procedures, including the use of radiographic imaging systems in compliance with Minnesota Rules 2007, chapter 4732;

(5) ordering or performing therapeutic procedures including the use of ionizing radiation in compliance with Minnesota Rules 2007, chapter 4732;

(6) providing instructions regarding patient care, disease prevention, and health promotion;

(7) assisting the supervising physician in patient care in the home and in health care facilities;

(8) creating and maintaining appropriate patient records;

(9) transmitting or executing specific orders at the direction of the supervising physician;

(10) prescribing, administering, and dispensing drugs, controlled substances, and medical devices if this function has been delegated by the supervising physician pursuant to and subject to the limitations of section 147A.18 and chapter 151. For physician assistants who have been delegated the authority to prescribe controlled substances, such delegation shall be included in the physician-physician assistant delegation agreement, and all schedules of controlled substances the physician assistant has the authority to prescribe shall be specified;

(11) for physician assistants not delegated prescribing authority, administering legend drugs and medical devices following prospective review for each patient by and upon direction of the supervising physician;

(12) functioning as an emergency medical technician with permission of the ambulance service and in compliance with section 144E.127, and ambulance service rules adopted by the commissioner of health;

(13) initiating evaluation and treatment procedures essential to providing an appropriate response to emergency situations;

(14) certifying a patient's eligibility for a disability parking certificate under section 169.345, subdivision 2;

(15) assisting at surgery; and

(16) providing medical authorization for admission for emergency care and treatment of a patient under section 253B.05, subdivision 2.

Orders of physician assistants shall be considered the orders of their supervising physicians in all practice-related activities, including, but not limited to, the ordering of diagnostic, therapeutic, and other medical services.

History: 1995 c 205 art 1 s 9; 1997 c 199 s 14; 1999 c 245 art 9 s 65; 2003 c 108 s 1; 2004 c 279 art 2 s 2; 2009 c 159 s 22