2015 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 40 - Professions and Occupations
CHAPTER 47 - PHYSICIANS AND MISCELLANEOUS HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
Section 40-47-955. Scope of physician assistant's practice; physical presence requirements of supervising physician; practices in separate locations; granting of exceptions.

(A) The supervising physician is responsible for all aspects of the physician assistant's practice. Supervision must be continuous but must not be construed as necessarily requiring the physical presence of the supervising physician at the time and place where the services are rendered, except as otherwise required for limited licensees. The supervising physician shall identify the physician assistant's scope of practice and determine the delegation of medical acts, tasks, or functions. Medical acts, tasks, or functions must be defined in written scope of practice guidelines which must be appropriate to the physician assistant's ability and knowledge.

(B) Pursuant to scope of practice guidelines, a physician assistant may practice in a public place, a private place, or a facility where the supervising physician regularly sees patients, may make house calls, perform hospital duties, and perform any functions performed by the supervising physician if the physician assistant is also qualified to perform those functions.

(C) A physician assistant must have six months of clinical experience with the current supervising physician before being permitted to practice at a location off site from the supervising physician, except that a physician assistant who has at least two years continuous practice in the same specialty may practice at a location off site from the supervising physician after three months clinical experience with the supervising physician and upon request of the supervising physician. This three-month requirement may be waived for experienced physician assistants and supervisors upon recommendation of the committee and approval by the board. The off-site location may not be more than sixty miles of travel from the supervising physician or alternate supervising physician without written approval of the board. Notice of off-site practice must be filed with the administrative staff of the board before off-site practice may be authorized. The supervising physician or alternate must review, initial, and date the off-site physician assistant's charts periodically as provided in the written scope of practice guidelines, provided the supervising physician must review and verify the adequacy of clinical practice of ten percent of these charts monthly.

(D) A supervising physician may simultaneously supervise no more than three physician assistants providing clinical service at one time.

(E) Upon written request, and recommendation of the committee, the board may authorize exceptions to the requirements of this section.

HISTORY: 2000 Act No. 359, Section 1; 2006 Act No. 244, Section 6; 2013 Act No. 28, Section 7, eff May 21, 2013.

Effect of Amendment

The 2013 amendment, in subsection (A), substituted "defined in written scope of practice guidelines" for "defined in approved written guidelines"; and rewrote subsections (B) through (D).