2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 12 - PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS (§§ 12-1-101 — 12-315-310) › HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS (§§ 12-170-101 — 12-315-310) › Article 240 - MEDICAL PRACTICE (§§ 12-240-101 — 12-240-146) › Section 12-240-107 - Practice of medicine defined - exemptions from licensing requirements - unauthorized practice by physician assistants and anesthesiologist assistants - penalties - definitions - rules

(1)
As used in this article 240, "practice of medicine" means:
(a)
Holding out one's self to the public within this state as being able to diagnose, treat, prescribe for, palliate, or prevent any human disease; ailment; pain; injury; deformity; physical condition; or behavioral, mental health, or substance use disorder, whether by the use of drugs, surgery, manipulation, electricity, telemedicine, the interpretation of tests, including primary diagnosis of pathology specimens, images, or photographs, or any physical, mechanical, or other means whatsoever;
(b)
Suggesting, recommending, prescribing, or administering any form of treatment, operation, or healing for the intended palliation, relief, or cure of a person's physical disease; ailment; injury; condition; or behavioral, mental health, or substance use disorder;
(c)
The maintenance of an office or other place for the purpose of examining or treating persons afflicted with disease; injury; or a behavioral, mental health, or substance use disorder;
(d)
Using the title "M.D.", "D.O.", "physician", "surgeon", or any word or abbreviation to indicate or induce others to believe that one is licensed to practice medicine in this state and engaged in the diagnosis or treatment of persons afflicted with disease; injury; or a behavioral, mental health, or substance use disorder, except as otherwise expressly permitted by the laws of this state enacted relating to the practice of any limited field of the healing arts;
(e)
Performing any kind of surgical operation upon a human being;
(f)
The practice of midwifery, except:
(I)
Services rendered by certified nurse-midwives or certified midwives properly licensed and practicing in accordance with part 1 of article
255
of this title 12; or
(II)
Repealed.
(g)
The delivery of telemedicine. Nothing in this subsection (1)(g) authorizes physicians to deliver services outside their scope of practice or limits the delivery of health services by other licensed professionals, within the professional's scope of practice, using advanced technology, including, but not limited to, telehealth, as defined in section
10-16-123 (4)(e)
.
(2)
If a person who does not possess and has not filed a license to practice medicine, practice as a physician assistant, or practice as an anesthesiologist assistant in this state, as provided in this article 240, and who is not exempted from the licensing requirements under this article 240, performs any of the acts that constitute the practice of medicine as defined in this section, the person shall be deemed to be practicing medicine, practicing as a physician assistant, or practicing as an anesthesiologist assistant in violation of this article 240.
(3)
A person may engage in, and shall not be required to obtain a license or a physician training license under this article 240 with respect to, any of the following acts:
(a)
The gratuitous rendering of services in cases of emergency;
(b)
The occasional rendering of services in this state by a physician if the physician:
(I)
Is licensed and lawfully practicing medicine in another state or territory of the United States without restrictions or conditions on the physician's license;
(II)
Does not have any established or regularly used medical staff membership or clinical privileges in this state;
(III)
Is not party to any contract, agreement, or understanding to provide services in this state on a regular or routine basis;
(IV)
Does not maintain an office or other place for the rendering of such services;
(V)
Has medical liability insurance coverage in the amounts required pursuant to section
13-64-302
for the services rendered in this state; and
(VI)
Limits the services provided in this state to an occasional case or consultation;
(c)
The practice of dentistry under the conditions and limitations defined by the laws of this state;
(d)
The practice of podiatry under the conditions and limitations defined by the laws of this state;
(e)
The practice of optometry under the conditions and limitations defined by the laws of this state;
(f)
The practice of chiropractic under the conditions and limitations defined by the laws of this state;
(g)
The practice of religious worship;
(h)
The practice of Christian Science, with or without compensation;
(i)
The performance by commissioned medical officers of the armed forces of the United States of America or of the United States public health service or of the United States veterans administration of their lawful duties in this state as officers;
(j)
The rendering of nursing or midwifery services and delegated medical functions by registered or other nurses or certified midwives in the lawful discharge of their duties;
(k)
The rendering of services by students currently enrolled in an approved medical college;
(l)
The rendering of services, other than the prescribing of drugs, by persons qualified by experience, education, or training, under the personal and responsible direction and supervision of a person licensed under the laws of this state to practice medicine, but nothing in this exemption shall be deemed to extend or limit the scope of any license, and this exemption shall not apply to persons otherwise qualified to practice medicine but not licensed to practice in this state;
(m)
The practice by persons licensed or registered under any law of this state to practice a limited field of the healing arts not specifically designated in this section, under the conditions and limitations defined by the law;
(n)
The administration and monitoring of medications in facilities as provided in part 3 of article
1.5
of title
25
;
(o)
The rendering of acupuncture services subject to the conditions and limitations provided in article
200
of this title 12;
(p)
The administration of nutrition or fluids through gastrostomy tubes as provided in sections
25.5-10-204 (2)(j)
and
27-10.5-103 (2)(i)
, as a part of residential or day program services provided through service agencies approved by the department of health care policy and financing pursuant to section
25.5-10-208
;
(q)
(I)
The administration of topical and aerosol medications within the scope of physical therapy practice as provided in section
12-285-116 (2)
;
(II)
The performance of wound debridement under a physician's order within the scope of physical therapy practice as provided in section
12-285-116 (3)
or the performance of noninvasive wound debridement within the scope of practice as a physical therapist assistant as provided in section
12-285-210 (1)(f)
;
(r)
The rendering of services by an athletic trainer subject to the conditions and limitations provided in article
205
of this title 12;
(s)
(I)
The rendering of prescriptions by an advanced practice registered nurse or certified midwife pursuant to section
12-255-112
.
(II)
On or after July 1, 2010, a physician who serves as a preceptor or mentor to an advanced practice registered nurse or certified midwife pursuant to sections
12-240-108
and
12-255-112 (4)
shall have a license in good standing without disciplinary sanctions to practice medicine in Colorado and an unrestricted registration by the federal drug enforcement administration for the same schedules as the collaborating advanced practice registered nurse or certified midwife.
(III)
It is unlawful and a violation of this article 240 for any person, corporation, or other entity to require payment or employment as a condition of entering into a mentorship relationship with an advanced practice registered nurse or a certified midwife pursuant to sections
12-240-108
and
12-255-112 (4)
, but the mentor may request reimbursement of reasonable expenses and time spent as a result of the mentorship relationship.
(t)
(I)
The provision, to a treating physician licensed in this state, of the results of laboratory tests, excluding histopathology tests and cytology tests, performed in a laboratory certified under the federal "Clinical Laboratories Improvement Act of 1967", as amended,
42 U.S.C. sec. 263a
, to perform high complexity testing, as the term is used in
42 CFR 493.1701
and any related or successor provision;
(II)
The provision, to a pathologist licensed in this state, of the results of histopathology tests and cytology tests performed in a laboratory certified under the federal "Clinical Laboratories Improvement Act of 1967", as amended,
42 U.S.C. sec. 263a
, to perform high complexity testing, as the term is used in
42 CFR 493.1701
and any related or successor provision;
(u)
The rendering of services by any person serving an approved internship, residency, or fellowship as defined by this article 240 for an aggregate period not to exceed sixty days;
(v)
A physician lawfully practicing medicine in another state or territory providing medical services to athletes or team personnel registered to train at the United States Olympic training center at Colorado Springs or providing medical services at an event in this state sanctioned by the United States Olympic Committee. The physician's medical practice shall be contingent upon the requirements and approvals of the United States Olympic Committee and shall not exceed ninety days per calendar year.
(w)
The rendering of services by an emergency medical service provider certified or licensed under section
25-3.5-203
if the services rendered are consistent with rules adopted under section
25-3.5-206
defining the duties and functions of emergency medical service providers;
(x)
Rendering complementary and alternative health-care services consistent with section
6-1-724
;
(y)
Practicing as a medical director pursuant to the "Recognition of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact Act", part 35 of article
60
of title
24
, so long as the person is licensed in good standing in a state that has enacted and is a member of the compact.
(4)
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit patient consultation between a practicing physician licensed in Colorado and a practicing physician licensed in another state or jurisdiction.
(5)
All licensees designated or referred to in subsection (3) of this section, who are licensed to practice a limited field of the healing arts, shall confine themselves strictly to the field for which they are licensed and to the scope of their respective licenses and shall not use any title, word, or abbreviation mentioned in subsection (1)(d) of this section, except to the extent and under the conditions expressly permitted by the law under which they are licensed.
(6)
(a)
A physician assistant may not provide care unless the physician assistant has entered into a collaborative agreement with a physician licensed in good standing pursuant to this article 240 or article
290
of this title 12 or a physician group.
(b)
With a collaborative agreement in place, a physician assistant licensed by the board pursuant to section
12-240-113
may perform acts within the physician assistant's education, experience, and competency that constitute the practice of medicine and acts that physicians are authorized by law to perform to the extent and in the manner authorized by rules promulgated by the board, including prescribing and dispensing medication, including controlled substances.
(c)
The collaborative agreement must be kept on file at the physician assistant's primary location of practice and be made available to the board upon request.
(d)
An act by a physician assistant that constitutes the practice of medicine must be consistent with generally accepted standards of medical practice. A physician assistant shall collaborate with the appropriate health-care provider as indicated by the condition of the patient, the standard of care, and the physician assistant's education, experience, and competence.
(e)
An employer shall not require a licensed physician to enter into a collaborative agreement as a condition of the physician's employment.
(f)
All prescriptions issued by a physician assistant must include the physician assistant's name, the name and address of the health facility, and, if the health facility is a multispecialty organization, the name and address of the speciality clinic within the health facility where the physician assistant is practicing. The dispensing of prescription medication by a physician assistant is subject to section
12-280-120 (6)(a)
.
(g)
While performing acts included in the practice of medicine, as defined in subsection (1) of this section, a physician assistant shall clearly identify oneself, both visually and verbally, as a physician assistant. An employer, physician, or physician group must identify to patients that a physician assistant providing care is a physician assistant.
(h)
Pursuant to section
12-240-135 (7)
, the board may apply for an injunction to enjoin any person from performing medical acts that are in violation of this section or of any rules promulgated by the board.
(i)
This subsection (6) does not apply to any person who performs medical tasks within the scope of the exemption specified in subsection (3)(l) of this section.
(j)
A physician assistant is liable for the care provided by the physician assistant.
(k)
A physician assistant shall comply with the financial responsibility requirements specified in section
13-64-301 (1)
and rules adopted by the board pursuant to that section.
(l)
Pursuant to section
12-240-138 (1)(d)(I)
, a physician assistant is not authorized to own a majority of a medical practice.
(7)
(a)
A physician licensed in this state that practices as an anesthesiologist may delegate tasks constituting the practice of medicine to an anesthesiologist assistant licensed pursuant to section
12-240-112
who has been educated and trained in accordance with rules promulgated by the board. The delegated medical tasks referred to in this subsection (7)(a) are limited to the medical functions that constitute the delivery or provision of anesthesia services as practiced by the supervising physician.
(b)
An anesthesiologist assistant shall perform delegated medical tasks only under the direct supervision of a physician who practices as an anesthesiologist. A patient or the patient's representative shall be advised if an anesthesiologist assistant is involved in the care of a patient. Unless approved by the board, a supervising physician shall not concurrently supervise more than three anesthesiologist assistants; except that the board may, by rule, allow an anesthesiologist to supervise up to four anesthesiologist assistants on and after July 1, 2016. The board may consider information from anesthesiologists, anesthesiologist assistants, patients, and other sources when considering a ratio change of supervision of anesthesiologist assistants. Direct supervision of anesthesiologist assistants may be transferred between anesthesiologists of the same group or practice in accordance with generally accepted standards of care.
(c)
Nothing in this subsection (7) affects the practice of dentists and dental assistants practicing pursuant to article
220
of this title 12.
Amended by 2023 Ch. 114,§ 1, eff. 8/7/2023.
Amended by 2023 Ch. 261,§ 43, eff. 5/25/2023.
Amended by 2021 Ch. 152, § 2, eff. 5/18/2021.
Amended by 2020 Ch. 216, § 20, eff. 6/30/2020.
Amended by 2020 Ch. 157, § 46, eff. 7/1/2020.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 411, § 6, eff. 10/1/2019.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 396, § 27, eff. 10/1/2019.
Renumbered from C.R.S. §
12-36-106
and amended by 2019 Ch. 136, § 1, eff. 10/1/2019.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 411, § 2, eff. 8/2/2019.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 396, § 5, eff. 5/31/2019.
Amended by 2018 Ch. 315, § 14, eff. 9/1/2018.
Amended by 2017 Ch. 263, § 54, eff. 5/25/2017.
Amended by 2016 Ch. 350, § 10, eff. 8/10/2016.
Amended by 2016 Ch. 204, § 8, eff. 8/10/2016.
Amended by 2015 Ch. 171, § 3, eff. 8/5/2015.
Amended by 2013 Ch. 323, § 19, eff. 3/1/2014.
Amended by 2013 Ch. 399, § 3, eff. 6/5/2013.
(1) This section is similar to former § 12-36-106 as it existed prior to 2019.
(2) (a) Before its relocation in 2019, this section was amended in SB 19-242. Those amendments were superseded by the repeal and reenactment of this title 12, effective October 1, 2019. For those amendments to the former section in effect from May 31, 2019, to October 1, 2019, see SB 19-242, chapter 396, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.
(b) Before its relocation in 2019, this section was amended in HB 19-1095. Those amendments were superseded by the repeal and reenactment of this title 12, effective October 1, 2019. For those amendments to the former section in effect from August 2, 2019, to October 1, 2019, see HB 19-1095, chapter 411, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.
2023 Ch. 114, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).