SB 406 eliminated site based prescriptive authority.  The law is silent regarding the practice location of the physician and its proximity to the practice site of the APRN or PA. That said, there has been no change in the law that requires that a physician must provide adequate supervision of delegates. In any given case, the distance between a physician’s primary practice and the practice site at which the physician’s delegates provide medical services may be an important factor in determining the quality of the physician’s supervision. 

All prescriptive delegation requires adequate supervision under the Medical Practice Act.  As such, a physician delegating to an APRN or PA must adequately supervise those individuals.  An individual physician may serve in both the supervising and delegating role and does not need to be physically present at all times to be considered to have adequate supervision.

APRNs and PAs are required to have delegated authority from a licensed physician in order to provide medical aspects of patient care. Historically, this delegation has occurred through a protocol or other written authorization. Rather than requiring multiple documents, delegation protocols can now be included in one document the prescriptive authority agreement. The prescriptive authority agreement need not describe the exact steps that an advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant must take with respect to each specific condition, disease, or symptom, however.

A physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant must have an active license to practice that is not suspended, delinquent, or otherwise subject to a disciplinary order that specifically prohibits the licensee from entering into a prescriptive authority agreement.    

Note that if a licensee’s authority to supervise, delegate, or prescribe devices is limited under a board order, the licensee may enter into a prescriptive authority agreement and practice under the agreement only to the extent permitted by the board order.

It depends upon when the agreement was executed.  Note that there have been several changes to the law affecting this area in recent legislative sessions.  To understand how the law might apply to your situation, you may want to seek the advice of private legal counsel.

For a prescriptive authority agreement executed on or after September 1, 2019, the agreement must, at a minimum:

(1)  be in writing and reviewed, signed and dated by the parties to the agreement on an annual basis;

(2)  state the name, address, and all professional license numbers of the parties to the agreement;

(3)  state the nature of the practice, practice locations, or practice settings;

(4)  identify the types or categories of drugs or devices that may be prescribed or the types or categories of drugs or devices that may not be prescribed;

(5)  provide a general plan for addressing consultation and referral;

(6)  provide a plan for addressing patient emergencies;

(7)  state the general process for communication and the sharing of information related to the care and treatment of patients;

(8)  if alternate physician supervision is to be utilized, designate one or more alternate physicians; and

(9)  describe a prescriptive authority quality assurance and improvement plan and how it will be implemented. The plan must require chart reviews and periodic meetings.

The law does not provide a specific number or percentage of charts that must be reviewed.  Rather, the law provides that the number of charts to be reviewed is determined by the parties to the prescriptive authority agreement.  The number may vary from one practice setting to another.  Factors such as the length of time the APRN or PA has been in practice, the length of time the physician and APRN or PA have practiced together, whether the parties to the prescriptive authority agreement practice together in the same practice setting, and the complexity of patient care needs should be given consideration when making this determination. That said, there has been no change in the law that requires that a physician must provide adequate supervision of delegates. In any given case, the number or percentage of charts reviewed may be an important factor in determining the quality of the physician’s supervision. 

No. Periodic meetings are required, regardless of the distance between or locations at which the physician and delegate(s) practice.

No.  Free standing clinics, centers or other medical practices that are owned or operated by or associated with a hospital or long term care facility that are not physically located within the hospital or long term care facility are not considered facility based practices.  Prescriptive authority agreements are required in these settings.

Although it is possible to use a prescriptive authority agreement in a hospital or long term care facility based practice, it is not required.  You may continue to practice under protocols in these settings.  APRNs and PAs must exercise prescriptive authority under one of these delegation mechanisms.

In a hospital facility based practice, the delegating physician may be the medical director, the chief of medical staff, the chair of the credentialing committee, a department chair, or a physician who consents to the request of the medical director or chief of the medical staff to delegate.  

In a long term care facility based practice, delegation is by the medical director.

Regardless of the circumstances when supervision is or is not required, it is important to remember that the delegating physician must abide by all required federal and state statutes and regulations regarding delegation.  The physician retains responsibility of the medical management of the patient.  Therefore, the delegating physician must consider the delegatee’s education, training, and experience prior to delegating.  Additionally, delegation may be revoked by the delegating physician at any time.

The Texas Attorney General has issued three opinions on CRNA supervision.  The latest opinion found that although physician supervision of a CRNA is not required in Texas Occupations Code Sec. 157.058, other federal and state statutes and regulations may require physician supervision of a CRNA, a CRNA may not administer an anesthetic that is a controlled substance outside the presence of a physician, and the Legislature did not expressly limit the liability of the delegating physician.

Specifically, Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-0353 found “Section 157.058 of the Occupations Code does not, by itself, require a physician who properly delegates anesthesia-related tasks to a certified registered nurse anesthetist (“CRNA”) to supervise the performance of those acts.” (Page 5)

However, KP-0353 also found “…the language of chapter 157 is not the only relevant authority to consider in addressing the question of physician supervision over acts delegated to a CRNA.  Federal regulations limiting Medicare coverage and conditioning hospital participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs require physician supervision of a CRNA when administering anesthesia in certain circumstances. See, e.g., 42 C.F.R. §§ 416.42(b)(2), 482.52(a)(4), 485.639(c)(1)(v), (2) (requiring a CRNA to operate under a physician’s supervision when administering anesthesia in certain circumstances). Furthermore, a CRNA may not administer an anesthetic that is a controlled substance outside the presence of a physician. See TEX. HEALTH & SAFETY CODE §§ 481.002(1)(A) (defining “administer” to require agent to apply controlled substance in presence of physician), .071(a) (prohibiting physician from causing controlled substance to be administered under physician’s “direction and supervision” except for valid medical purpose and in course of medical practice). And a CRNA may not obtain an anesthetic that is a dangerous drug unless a physician has listed that CRNA as the physician’s designated agent. See id. §§ 483.001(4) (defining “designated agent”), .022(a) (requiring physician to name each designated agent in writing). (Page 3 with emphasis added.)

Finally, KP-0353 found “Whether and the extent to which physician supervision is required for an act delegated to a CRNA will depend on the specific act delegated, the type of facility in which the CRNA performs the act, and any relevant regulations of that facility.  And while section 157.058 authorizes a physician to delegate to a CRNA, a physician is never required to do so. If a physician is concerned about a CRNA’s ability to perform a delegated act or desires to limit the delegation, the physician retains the authority to refrain from delegating, to limit the delegation, or to supervise the delegation to whatever extent the physician determines necessary. In sum, the authority to delegate provided by section 157.058 of the Occupations Code does not eliminate the need to comply with all other applicable statutes, regulations, bylaws, ethical standards, and a physician’s own professional judgment. See TEX. OCC. CODE § 157.007 (“An act delegated by a physician under [chapter 157] must comply with other applicable laws.”). (Page 4 with emphasis added.)

APRNs or PAs may prescribe schedule II drugs in the following situations:

(1) in a hospital facility-based practice, in accordance with policies approved by the hospital's medical staff or a committee of the hospital's medical staff as provided by the hospital's bylaws to ensure patient safety and as part of care provided to a patient who:

(A) has been admitted to the hospital for an intended length of stay of 24 hours or greater; or

(B) is receiving services in the emergency department of the hospital; or

(2) as part of the plan of care for the treatment of a person who has executed a written certification of a terminal illness, has elected to receive hospice care, and is receiving hospice treatment from a qualified hospice provider.

The 76th Legislature passed HB 692, which states in part: "The social security number of an applicant for or holder of a license, certificate of registration, or other legal authorization issued by a licensing agency to practice in a specific occupation or profession that is provided to the licensing agency is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under the open records law."

The law was passed in the House on March 18 and in the Senate on May 17 and went into effect after being signed by Governor George W. Bush on May 29, 1999.

OBA registration does not apply to physicians who practice in the following settings:

1. An outpatient setting in which only local anesthesia, peripheral nerve blocks, or both are used.
2. Any setting physically located outside the State of Texas.
3. A licensed hospital, including an outpatient facility of the hospital that is located apart from the hospital.
4. A licensed ambulatory surgical center.
5. A clinic located on land recognized as tribal land by the federal government and maintained or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization as listed by the United States secretary of the interior under 25 U.S.C. (479-1) or as listed under a successor federal statute or regulation.
6. A facility maintained or operated by a state or governmental entity.
7. A clinic directly maintained or operated by the United States or by any of its departments, officers, or agencies.
8. An outpatient setting accredited by:
1. the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations relating to ambulatory surgical centers;
2. the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities; or
3. the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
9. The performance of Mohs micrographic surgery.
10. Provide only level I services.

Note: physicians that provide only level I services, must still meet all other requirements under Chapter 192.