2023 Maryland Statutes › Health Occupations › Title 15 - Physician Assistants › Subtitle 1 - Definitions; General Provisions › Section 15-101 - Definitions

(a)    In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b)    “Alternate supervising physician” means one or more physicians designated by the primary supervising physician to provide supervision of a physician assistant in accordance with the delegation agreement on file with the Board.
(c)    “Ambulatory surgical facility” means a facility:
(1)    Accredited by:
(i)    The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities;
(ii)    The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care; or
(iii)    The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; or
(2)    Certified to participate in the Medicare program, as enacted by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act.
(d)    “Board” means the State Board of Physicians, established under § 14–201 of this article.
(e)    “Committee” means the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee.
(f)    “Controlled dangerous substances” has the meaning stated in § 5–101 of the Criminal Law Article.
(g)    “Correctional facility” includes a State or local correctional facility.
(h)    “Delegated medical acts” means activities that constitute the practice of medicine delegated by a physician under Title 14 of this article.
(i)    “Delegation agreement” means a document that is executed by a primary supervising physician and a physician assistant containing the requirements of § 15–302 of this title.
(i–1)    “Disciplinary panel” means a disciplinary panel of the Board established under § 14–401 of this article.
(j)    “Dispense” or “dispensing” has the meaning stated in § 12–101 of this article.
(k)    “Drug sample” means a unit of a prescription drug that is intended to promote the sale of the drug and is not intended for sale.
(l)    “Hospital” means:
(1)    A hospital as defined under § 19–301 of the Health – General Article;
(2)    A comprehensive care facility that:
(i)    Meets the requirements of a hospital–based skilled nursing facility under federal law; and
(ii)    Offers acute care in the same building; and
(3)    An emergency room that is physically connected to a hospital or a freestanding medical facility that is licensed under Title 19, Subtitle 3A of the Health – General Article.
(m)    “License” means a license issued by the Board to a physician assistant under this title.
(n)    “National certifying examination” means the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or its successor.
(o)    “Physician assistant” means an individual who is licensed under this title to practice medicine with physician supervision.
(p)    “Practice as a physician assistant” means the performance of medical acts that are:
(1)    Delegated by a supervising physician to a physician assistant;
(2)    Within the supervising physician’s scope of practice; and
(3)    Appropriate to the physician assistant’s education, training, and experience.
(q)    “Prescriptive authority” means the authority delegated by a primary or alternate supervising physician to a physician assistant to:
(1)    Prescribe and administer controlled dangerous substances, prescription drugs, medical devices, and the oral, written, or electronic ordering of medications; and
(2)    Dispense as provided under § 15–302.2(b), (c), and (d) of this title.
(r)    “Primary supervising physician” means a physician who:
(1)    Completes a delegation agreement that meets the requirements under §§ 15–301(d) and (e) and 15–302 of this title and files a copy with the Board;
(2)    Acts as the physician responsible to ensure that a physician assistant practices medicine in accordance with this title and the regulations adopted under this title;
(3)    Ensures that a physician assistant practices within the scope of practice of the primary supervising physician or any designated alternate supervising physician; and
(4)    Ensures that a list of alternate supervising physicians is maintained at the practice setting.
(s)    “Public health facility” means a site where clinical public health services are rendered under the auspices of the Department, a local health department in a county, or the Baltimore City Health Department.
(t)    “Starter dosage” means an amount of a drug sufficient to begin therapy:
(1)    Of short duration of 72 hours or less; or
(2)    Prior to obtaining a larger quantity of the drug to complete therapy.
(u)    (1)    “Supervision” means the responsibility of a physician to exercise on–site supervision or immediately available direction for physician assistants performing delegated medical acts.
(2)    “Supervision” includes physician oversight of and acceptance of direct responsibility for the patient services and care rendered by a physician assistant, including continuous availability to the physician assistant in person, through written instructions, or by electronic means and by designation of one or more alternate supervising physicians.