(b) A person licensed as a physician assistant may perform, only under the direction and supervision of a physician, acts which constitute the practice of medicine and surgery to the extent and in the manner authorized by the physician responsible for the physician assistant and only to the extent such acts are consistent with rules and regulations adopted by the board which relate to acts performed by a physician assistant under the responsible physician's direction and supervision. A physician assistant may prescribe drugs pursuant to a written protocol as authorized by the responsible physician.
(c) Before a physician assistant shall perform under the direction and supervision of a physician, such physician assistant shall be identified to the patient and others involved in providing the patient services as a physician assistant to the responsible physician. Physician assistants licensed under the provisions of this act shall keep their license available for inspection at their primary place of business. A physician assistant may not perform any act or procedure performed in the practice of optometry except as provided in K.S.A. 65-1508 and 65-2887 and amendments thereto.
(d) The board shall adopt rules and regulations governing the prescribing of drugs by physician assistants and the responsibilities of the responsible physician with respect thereto. Such rules and regulations shall establish such conditions and limitations as the board determines to be necessary to protect the public health and safety. In developing rules and regulations relating to the prescribing of drugs by physician assistants, the board shall take into consideration the amount of training and capabilities of physician assistants, the different practice settings in which physician assistants and responsible physicians practice, the degree of direction and supervision to be provided by a responsible physician and the needs of the geographic area of the state in which the physician's physician assistant and the responsible physician practice. In all cases in which a physician assistant is authorized to prescribe drugs by a responsible physician, a written protocol between the responsible physician and the physician assistant containing the essential terms of such authorization shall be in effect. Any written prescription order shall include the name, address and telephone number of the responsible physician. In no case shall the scope of the authority of the physician assistant to prescribe drugs exceed the normal and customary practice of the responsible physician in the prescribing of drugs.
(e) The physician assistant may not dispense drugs, but may request, receive and sign for professional samples and may distribute professional samples to patients pursuant to a written protocol as authorized by the responsible physician. In order to prescribe controlled substances, the physician assistant shall register with the federal drug enforcement administration.
(f) As used in this section, "drug" means those articles and substances defined as drugs in K.S.A. 65-1626 and 65-4101 and amendments thereto.
History: L. 2000, ch. 162, § 8; Feb. 1, 2001.