The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

1. (1) Act--The Physician Assistant Licensing Act, Texas Occupations Code Annotated, Title 3, Subtitle C, Chapter 204 as amended.
2. (2) Agency--The divisions, departments, and employees of the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners, and the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners.
3. (3) Alternate physician--A physician providing appropriate supervision on a temporary basis not to exceed fourteen consecutive days.
4. (4) APA--The Administrative Procedure Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 2001 as amended.
5. (5) Applicant--A party seeking a license from the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners.
6. (6) Board or the "physician assistant board"--The Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners.
7. (7) Medical Board--The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners.
8. (8) Medical Practice Act--Texas Occupations Code Annotated, Title 3, Subtitle B, as amended.
9. (9) Open Meetings Act--Texas Government Code Annotated, Chapter 551 as amended.
10. (10) Party--The physician assistant board and each person named or admitted as a party in a SOAH hearing or contested case before the physician assistant board.
11. (11) Physician assistant--A person licensed as a physician assistant by the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners.
12. (12) State--Any state, territory, or insular possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.
13. (13) Submit--The term used to indicate that a completed item has been actually received and date-stamped by the board along with all required documentation and fees, if any.
14. (14) Supervising physician--A physician licensed by the medical board either as a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine who assumes responsibility and legal liability for the services rendered by the physician assistant, and who has received approval from the medical board to supervise a specific physician assistant.
15. (15) Supervision--Overseeing the activities of, and accepting responsibility for, the medical services rendered by a physician assistant. Supervision does not require the constant physical presence of the supervising physician but includes a situation where a supervising physician and the person being supervised are, or can easily be, in contact with one another by radio, telephone, or another telecommunication device.

Source Note:The provisions of this §185.2 adopted to be effective January 12, 1996, 21 TexReg 109; amended to be effective December 23, 1997, 22 TexReg 12492; amended to be effective May 9, 1999, 24 TexReg 3347; amended to be effective September 21, 2000, 25 TexReg 9218; amended to be effective January 6, 2002, 26 TexReg 10867; amended to be effective November 3, 2002, 27 TexReg 10027.