SRC-TBR S.B. 1265 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1265 77R8109 GJH-DBy: Haywood Health & Human Services 3/30/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, physician assistants working under the supervision of a physician are limited to administering, providing, or carrying our a medical order from a licensed physician's primary practice site. As proposed, S.B. 1265 expands the caregiving ability of physicians to allow physicians to delegate certain duties to physician assistants at a qualified alternate practice site that is separate from the physician's primary practice site. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 157.053, Occupations Code, by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (e) and adding Subsections (g) and (h), as follows: (a) Defines "alternate practice site" and "primary practice site.": (b) Provides that at a physician's primary practice site or a qualified alternate practice site, a physician licensed by the board may delegate to a physician assistant or an advanced practice nurse acting under adequate physician supervision the act of administering, providing, or carrying out or signing a prescription drug order as authorized through a physician's order, a standing medical order, a standing delegation order, or another order or protocol as defined by the board. (e) Provides that a physician's authority to delegate the carrying out or signing of a prescription drug order at the physician's primary practice site under this section is limited to three physician assistants or advanced practice nurses or their full-time equivalents practicing at the physician's primary practice site or qualified alternate practice site. (g) Prohibits a physician from establishing not more than one qualified alternate practice site by filing with the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners (board) an application prescribed by the board. (h) Requires a delegating physician, to maintain an alternate practice site's qualification, to meet certain requirements. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.