Physician Assistant Bill Passes

The state House has passed a bill that will allow physician assistants to serve patients in rural areas with less supervision by a doctor.

It's passage is being hailed by the Missouri Academy of Physician Assistants.

“This is a true victory for Missouri patients and for our profession,” said Paul Winter, president of Missouri Academy of Physician Assistants. “Without a change in law, some health clinics would have been forced to reduce operating hours or close completely, leaving thousands of Missourians to travel greater distances for medical treatment or go without.”

The bill won final approval Monday evening by the Senate. It now needs Gov. Matt Blunt’s signature to become law.

We covered the issue in Hartville, Mo. back in February.

The bill allows physician assistants to care for patients as long as their supervising doctor is on site 66 percent of the time. When away, the doctor must be readily available for consultation through telecommunication and remain within 30 miles of the facility where the physician assistant is caring for patients.

The bill also includes an important provision for designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, where there is a recognized shortage of primary medical care providers. More than 80 percent of Missouri’s 114 counties are designated as HPSAs. The Board of Healing Arts would be directed to establish a waiver process for physician assistants working in designated HPSAs. In order to qualify for a waiver, the doctor-physician assistant team would have to show that adequate supervision would be provided and that there would be reduced access to healthcare for the community without the waiver.