1. (1) When the primary supervising physician is not readily available to respond to patients’ medical needs, the physician assistant is not authorized to perform any act or render any treatments unless another qualified physician in the same medical practice, practice group, or multidisciplinary medical team, or of the same or similar specialty as the supervising physician is immediately available to supervise the physician assistant who has previously filed with the Board a letter stating that he or she assumes all responsibility for the actions of the physician assistant during the temporary absence of the primary supervising physician.
2. (2) The covering physician providing the supervision shall also affirm in the letter that he or she is familiar with the current rules regarding physician assistants and the job description filed by the supervising physician and the physician assistant, that he or she is accountable for adequately supervising the medical care rendered pursuant to the job description, and that he or she approves the drug type, dosage, quantity and number of refills of legend drugs which the physician assistant is authorized to prescribe in the job description. The covering physician must meet the same qualifications as the supervising physician as established in Rule 540-X-7-.17.
3. (3) The supervising physician shall certify to the Board of Medical Examiners at least annually that any approved covering physician continues to agree to serve in that capacity and shall inform the Board of Medical Examiners of the termination of a covering physician within ten (10) days of the termination.

Author: Alabama Board of Medical Examiners

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-24-290, et. seq.

History: Repealed and Replaced: Filed September 21, 1998; effective October 26, 1998. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 22, 2002; effective September 26, 2002. Repealed and New Rule: Filed September 19, 2002; effective October 24, 2002. Amended: Filed December 16, 2015; effective January 30, 2016. Amended: Filed August 2, 2018; effective September 16, 2018. Amended: Published November 30, 2020; effective January 14, 2021. Amended: Published October 29, 2021; effective December 13, 2021.