1. (a) If the primary supervising physician is permanently unable to supervise the physician assistant, the primary supervising physician may not delegate patient care to the physician assistant unless at least one substitute supervising physician is named in the written agreement and on file with the Board. A list of all other substitute supervising physicians that the physician assistant may serve must be maintained at the physician assistant’s practice location.
2. (b) It is the responsibility of the substitute supervising physician to ensure that supervision is maintained in the absence of the primary supervising physician.
3. (c) During the period of supervision by the substitute supervising physician, the substitute supervising physician retains responsibility for the medical services that the physician assistant renders.
4. (d) Failure to properly supervise may provide grounds for disciplinary action against the substitute supervising physician.
5. (e) In the event that the primary supervising physician becomes permanently unable to supervise, the substitute supervising physician shall assume primary responsibility for the physician assistant until a new written agreement can be filed for a time period not to exceed 30 days.

Authority

The provisions of this § 18.154 amended under sections 8, 13 and 36 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P.S. § § 422.8, 422.13 and 422.36); and sections 502 and 503 of the Vital Statistics Law of 1953 (35 P.S. § § 450.502 and 450.503).

Source

The provisions of this § 18.154 amended August 13, 1993, effective August 14, 1993, 23 Pa.B. 3780; amended November 17, 2006, effective November 18, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 7009; amended July 3, 2025, effective July 5, 2025, 55 Pa.B. 4534. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (323427).

Cross References

This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 18.143 (relating to criteria for registration as a supervising physician); 49 Pa. Code § 18.144 (relating to responsibility of primary supervising physician); and 49 Pa. Code § 18.156 (relating to monitoring and review of physician assistant utilization).