(a)

1. (1) Physician assistants provide medical services to patients consistent with the physician assistant’s license, area of practice, or authorization under the delegation agreement.

2. (2)

   1. (A) Physician assistants will have to provide medical services to the patients consistent with the standards that a licensed physician would provide to a patient.
   2. (B) As such, the physician assistant must comply with the standards of medical care of a licensed physician as stated in the:

(i) Arkansas Medical Practices Act, Arkansas Code § 17-95-201 et seq., Arkansas Code § 17-95-301 et seq., and Arkansas Code § 17-95-401 et seq.;

1. (ii) Rules of the Arkansas State Medical Board; and

   1. (iii) Orders of the board.
   2. (C) A violation of said standards can result in the revocation or suspension of the license when ordered by the board after disciplinary charges are brought.

(b) A physician assistant must clearly identify himself or herself to the patient by displaying an appropriate designation, that is a badge or name plate with the words “physician assistant” appearing thereon.

1. (c)

2. (1) If authorized by the supervising physician, a physician assistant shall be:

   1. (A) Identified as the treating provider in billing and claims processes when the physician assistant delivered the medical services to the patient; and

   2. (B) Allowed to file claims as the billing provider for medical services delivered by the physician assistant to a patient that:

      1. (i) Is a Medicaid beneficiary; or
      2. (ii) Has a health benefit plan provided by a healthcare insurer.

3. (2) Under this section, a health benefit plan provided by a healthcare insurer or the Arkansas Medicaid Program shall not require the physical presence of the supervising physician as provided in Arkansas Code § 17-105-101(5).

   1. (d) A physician assistant may pronounce death and may authenticate with his or her signature a form that may be authenticated by a supervising physician’s signature as authorized under Arkansas Code § 17-80-120.

(e)

1. (1) A physician assistant may render care within his or her scope of practice when responding to a need for medical care created by an emergency or a state or local disaster if the physician assistant is:

   1. (A) Licensed in this state;
   2. (B) Licensed or authorized to practice in another state or territory; or
   3. (C) Credentialed as a physician assistant by a federal employer.
2. (2) A physician assistant who voluntarily and gratuitously, other than in the ordinary course of his or her employment or practice, renders emergency medical assistance is not liable for civil damages for personal injuries that result from acts or omissions of the physician assistant that may constitute ordinary negligence.