2017 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 40 - Professions and Occupations
CHAPTER 47 - PHYSICIANS AND MISCELLANEOUS HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
Section 40-47-938. Supervisory relationships.

(A) A physician currently possessing an active, unrestricted permanent license to practice medicine under the provisions of this chapter, who accepts the responsibility to supervise a physician assistant's activities, must enter into a supervisory relationship with a physician assistant licensed pursuant to this article, subject to approval of scope of practice guidelines by the board. The physician must notify the board, in writing, of the proposed supervisory relationship and include the proposed scope of practice guidelines for the relationship. Upon receipt of board approval, the physician assistant may begin clinical practice with the named supervising physician and alternate physicians.

(B) A supervising physician may determine that there are additional medical acts, tasks, or functions for which a physician assistant under the physician's supervision needs additional training or education to meet the needs of the physician's practice and that the physician would like to incorporate into the physician assistant's scope of practice guidelines. The physician must determine, in consultation with the physician assistant, the means of educating the physician assistant, which may include training under the direct supervision of the physician, education, or certification of proposed practices or other appropriate educational methods. The physician must notify the board in writing of the requested changes to the physician assistant's scope of practice guidelines and must provide documentation to the board of the competence of the physician assistant to perform the additional medical acts, tasks, or functions. Upon receipt of board approval of the requested changes, the physician assistant may incorporate these additional medical acts, tasks, or functions into practice.

(C) The board shall review and determine whether to approve these proposed scope of practice guidelines or requested changes to the scope of practice guidelines within ten business days after receipt of notice from the supervising physician as required by subsections (A) and (B). If the board needs additional information or clarification, a physician member of the board must contact the supervisory physician within ten business days of receipt of the physician's notice. If the board requests additional information or clarification to consider approval of scope of practice guidelines or changes to these guidelines, the supervising physician shall provide it in a timely manner; and upon receipt, a determination regarding approval must be made within ten business days.

HISTORY: 2013 Act No. 28, Section 1, eff May 21, 2013.