Section 1350.80  Performance of Collaborative Agreement

a)         The collaborating physician shall maintain the final responsibility for the care of the patient and the performance of the physician assistant.

b)         Delegated procedures and tasks performed by the physician assistant shall be within the current scope of practice of the collaborating physician with whom the physician assistant is working at the time.

c)         The collaborating physician may collaborate with a maximum of 7 full-time equivalent physician assistants as described in Section 54.5 of the Medical Practice Act.  However, a physician assistant shall be able to hold more than one professional position.

d)         The physician may collaborate with more than 7 physician assistants when the services are provided in a federal primary care health professional shortage area with a Health Professional Shortage Area score greater than or equal to 12, as determined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The collaborating physician must keep appropriate documentation of meeting this exemption and make it available to the Department upon request. (See Section 54.5(a-5) of the Medical Practice Act.)

e)         It is the responsibility of the collaborating physician to direct and review the work, records and practice of the physician assistant at least once a month to ensure that appropriate directions are given and understood and that appropriate treatment is being rendered.

f)         In the event that the collaborating physician is not present in the same facility as the physician assistant, the collaborating physician should be available for consultation by telecommunication or electronic communication as set forth in their collaborative agreement.

g)         The collaborating physician shall have full authority and responsibility to direct, supervise and limit the role of a physician assistant.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to alter the fact that a physician assistant shall continue to bear responsibility for his/her actions to the extent that the physician assistant fails to comply with physician directives or is not carrying out those directives in a professional and appropriate manner in conformance with his/her training.

h)         The physician assistant shall only work under the direction of the current collaborating physicians and may undertake patient care responsibilities only for the patients of the collaborating physicians.

(Source:  Amended at 44 Ill. Reg. 2519, effective January 31, 2020)