2023 Tennessee Code › Title 63 - PROFESSIONS OF THE HEALING ARTS (§§ 63-1-NEW — 63-32-119) › Chapter 19 - PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS (§§ 63-19-101 — 63-19-314) › Part 1 - PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS ACT (§§ 63-19-101 — 63-19-116) › Section 63-19-110 - Grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of licenses

(a)
The board has the power to:
(1)
Deny an application for a license to an applicant who applies for a license through reciprocity or otherwise;
(2)
Permanently or temporarily withhold issuance of a license;
(3)
Suspend, limit, or restrict a previously issued license for such time and in such manner as the board may determine;
(4)
Reprimand or take such action in relation to disciplining an applicant or licensee, including, but not limited to, informal settlements, private censures and warnings, and issuing civil penalties, as the board in its discretion may deem proper; or
(5)
Permanently revoke a license.
(b)
The grounds upon which the board shall exercise such power include, but are not limited to:
(1)
The conviction of a crime;
(2)
Fraud in procuring or attempting to procure a license to practice medicine as a physician assistant;
(3)
The commission of unprofessional or unethical conduct;
(4)
An addiction to the use of alcohol, narcotics, or other drugs;
(5)
Engaging in the inappropriate prescribing, dispensing, or otherwise distributing a controlled substance or other drug in the course of professional practice;
(6)
Suspension or revocation of a license in another state for disciplinary reasons; or
(7)
Failure to comply with the lawful order or duly promulgated rules of the board.
(8)
(A)
Except as authorized in part 2 of this chapter, holding oneself out as board-certified in a medical specialty, or utilizing a medical specialty designation with:
(i)
A title or title reference;
(ii)
An advertisement;
(iii)
The name of any healthcare setting that is majority-owned by physician assistants;
(iv)
Credentialing with any licensed healthcare facility or health insurance entity; or
(v)
An application for healthcare liability insurance coverage;
(B)
Subdivision (b)(8)(A) is not grounds for discipline of a licensee who worked in a healthcare setting that used a medical specialty designation prior to January 1, 2024, as long as:
(i)
The licensee's collaborating physician:
a
Is board-certified or board eligible in the designated specialty;
b
Owns part of the practice that provided the services in such healthcare setting; and
c
Sees patients in such healthcare setting on a regular basis; and
(ii)
Ownership of the practice has not changed on or after January 1, 2024; and
(C)
(i)
Prior to March 1, 2025, a licensee who practices in a healthcare setting described in subdivision (b)(8)(B) shall submit proof satisfactory to the board that the licensee's healthcare setting meets the requirements of subdivision (b)(8)(B); and
(ii)
If a licensee who, prior to March 1, 2025, meets the requirements of subdivision (b)(8)(B), ceases to meet such requirements on or after March 1, 2025, then the licensee shall notify the board within thirty (30) days.
(c)
Upon issuing disciplinary action to a licensee, the board shall notify the board of medical examiners, board of osteopathic examination, or board of podiatry, as appropriate, of the disciplinary action and the licensee's primary collaborating physician of record.
(d)
A disciplinary action issued by the board for a violation involving the prescribing, dispensing, or otherwise issuing of controlled substances by a physician assistant must also be approved by the board of medical examiners, and the board shall give notice to the appropriate licensing board of the primary collaborating physician of record.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1042,s 4, eff. 5/28/2024.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 565, s 6, eff. 5/26/2021.
Acts 1985, ch. 376, § 1; T.C.A, §
63-19-210
; Acts 1988, ch. 906, § 5; 1991, ch. 122, § 4; 1992, ch. 604, § 4.