Assigned to HHS FOR
COMMITTEE
Assigned to HHS FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Third Legislature, Second Regular Session
physician assistants; prescribing authority; delegation
Purpose
Allows a physician assistant (PA) to write prescriptions for schedule II or III controlled substances for 90 days, rather than 30 days, if the PA meets certain criteria.
Background
PAs are licensed to practice medicine within the scope of their supervising physician’s area of practice. However, within the physician-PA relationship, PAs exercise autonomy in medical decision-making and are permitted to provide a range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The Board of Physician Assistants (Board) is required to license and regulate PAs and develop and recommend standards governing the profession, among other duties (A.R.S. § 32-2502).
PAs are prohibited from prescribing schedule II or III controlled substances for longer than three days unless the PA is certified by the Board to prescribe for up to 30 days. Additionally, prescriptions for a schedule II or III drug are prohibited from being refilled without the written consent of a supervising physician. Drugs dispensed by a PA are required to be prepackaged by a supervising physician or a pharmacist acting on the supervising physician's written order, and all prescription orders filled by a PA must contain the supervising physician's and name, address and telephone number (A.R.S. § 32-2532).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Modifies the definition of unprofessional conduct, as it relates to PAs, to include exhibiting a pattern of using or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol while performing health care tasks or to the extent that judgement may be impaired and the ability to perform the tasks detrimentally affected.
2. Allows, beginning October 1, 2018, the Board to certify a PA to write prescriptions for schedule II or III controlled substances for 90 days, rather than 30 days, if the PA meets certain criteria.
3. Prohibits a PA from writing a prescription for schedule II or III controlled substances for more than 72 hours, unless they are certified for 90-day prescription privileges or there is an emergency.
4. Allows the Board to delegate PA licensing and regulatory duties to the Executive Director (ED).
5. Requires the Board to adopt a substantive policy statement for each licensing and regulatory authority delegated to the ED.
6. Requires that prescription orders filled by PAs contain the name, address and phone number of the PA, rather than providing the PA's supervising physician's information.
7. Requires that drugs dispensed by a PA be prepackaged only by a pharmacist.
8. Makes technical and conforming changes.
9. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
Health 2/08/18 DPA 9-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/21/18 DPA 54-6-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 9, 2018
CRS/NW/lat