Section 1350.55  Prescriptive Authority

a)         A supervising physician may delegate limited prescriptive authority to a physician assistant.  This authority may, but is not required to, include prescription and dispensing of legend drugs and legend controlled substances categorized as Schedule III, IV, or V controlled substances, as defined in Article II of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, as delegated in the written guidelines required by the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987.  To prescribe Schedule III, IV, or V controlled substances under this Section, a physician assistant must obtain a mid-level practitioner controlled substances license.  Medication orders issued by a physician assistant shall be reviewed periodically by the supervising physician.  The supervising physician shall file with the Department notice of delegation of prescriptive authority to a physician assistant and termination of delegation, specifying the authority delegated or terminated.  Upon receipt of this notice delegating authority to prescribe Schedule III, IV, or V controlled substances, the physician assistant shall be eligible to register for a mid-level practitioner controlled substances license under Section 303.05 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.  Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the delegation of tasks or duties by the supervising physician to a nurse or other appropriately trained personnel.  (Section 7.5 of the Act)

b)         Written Guidelines.

1)         If the supervising physician has delegated prescriptive authority to the physician assistant, the written guidelines shall include a statement indicating that the supervising physician has delegated prescriptive authority for legend drugs and any schedule of controlled substances. The delegation must be appropriate to the physician's practice and within the scope of the physician assistant's training.

2)         The written guidelines shall be signed by both the physician and the physician assistant and a copy maintained at each location where the physician assistant practices along with the physician assistant's state controlled substance license number and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number.

c)         A physician assistant may only prescribe or dispense prescriptions or orders for drugs and medical supplies within the scope of practice of the supervising physician or alternate supervising physician.

d)         The name of the supervising physician shall appear on any prescription written by the physician assistant.

(Source:  Added at 24 Ill. Reg. 16680, effective October 27, 2000)