Dear Licensed Arizona Physician Assistants,
This email is being sent to update you and provide you with information regarding some important changes to the Physician Assistant Practice Act after the enactment of HB 2043 and effective December 31,2023. HB 2043, is attached.
The new legislation allows for collaborative practice for licensed Arizona physician assistants who have worked at least 8,000 clinical hours, and who are certified by the Board to work without supervision. The anticipated requirements for certification for collaborative practice are set forth in the attached frequently asked questions and the recently adopted rules for collaborative practice. The application will be available on the ARBoPA website later in December.
In addition, the new legislation changes the requirements needed in Supervision Agreements between the physician assistant and the supervising physician or the physician's employer. Previously, the law mandated a physician assistant could only perform the health care tasks delegated by a supervising physician, the new legislation allows for a physician assistant to provide “any legal medical service for which the physician assistant has been prepared by education, training and experience and that the physician assistant is competent to perform” including the tasks previously identified in the statute. Health care tasks are no longer required to be specifically delegated by a supervising physician. A Supervision Agreement that describes the physician assistant’s scope of practice and prescribing authority is nonetheless required prior to performing health care tasks.
Please take the time to familiarize yourself with the changes that will become effective on December 31, 2023. If you have any questions for regarding HB 2043, please send an email to: [email protected] and Board Staff will respond.
Patricia McSorley
Executive Director
Arizona Medical Board
Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants
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