Ch. 540

1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

1. ALLOW A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TO WRITE MEDICATION
ORDERS ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLINICAL PRIVILEGES AND AN EXPANDED
JOB DESCRIPTION APPROVED BY THE BOARD;

2. REQUIRE A PHYSICIAN WHO HAS BEEN APPROVED BY
THE BOARD TO SUPERVISE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TO COUNTERSIGN ALL
MEDICATION ORDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION;

3. PROHIBIT A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FROM USING
PRE-SIGNED PRESCRIPTIONS;

4. PROHIBIT A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FROM DISPENSING

MEDICATIONS;

5. REQUIRE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TO LEGIBLY SIGN
EACH MEDICATION ORDER OR SET OF MEDICATION ORDERS WITH THE NAME OF
THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, THE INITIALS "PA-C", AND ANY OTHER NOTATION
MANDATED BY THE HOSPITAL PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY, CORRECTIONAL
FACILITY, OR DETENTION CENTER;

6. ALLOW A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT'S MEDICATION ORDERS
TO BE TRANSMITTED BY FACSIMILE OR OTHER NONVERBAL ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICATION ONLY TO A PHARMACY WITHIN THE HOSPITAL, PUBLIC HEALTH
FACILITY, CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, OR DETENTION CENTER OR TO THE
DESIGNATED PHARMACY OF THE HOSPITAL, PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY,
CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, OR DETENTION CENTER;

7. PROHIBIT A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FROM VERBALLY
TRANSMITTING A MEDICATION ORDER OVER THE TELEPHONE FROM OUTSIDE THE
HOSPITAL PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY, CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, OR DETENTION
CENTER; AND

8. REQUIRE A PHYSICIAN WHO HAS BEEN APPROVED BY
THE BOARD TO SUPERVISE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TO NOTIFY THE BOARD IF THE
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AUTHORITY TO WRITE MEDICATION ORDERS HAS BEEN
RESTRICTED, REMOVED BY THE SUPERVISING PHYSICIAN, REVOKED BY
DISCIPLINARY MEASURES OF A HOSPITAL PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY,
CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, OR DETENTION CENTER, OR IF THE PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANT NO LONGER PROVIDES CARE IN A SETTING WHERE MEDICATION ORDER
WRITING HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED;

(3) IN A HOSPITAL, CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, OR DETENTION CENTER,
THE AUTHORITY OF A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TO WRITE MEDICATION ORDERS
COMPLIES WITH THE FOLLOWING LIMITATIONS:

(I) A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT MAY WRITE MEDICATION ORDERS
ONLY FOR SCHEDULE II, SCHEDULE III, SCHEDULE IV, AND SCHEDULE V
MEDICATIONS, NONCONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, AND NONPRESCRIPTION
MEDICATIONS; AND

(II) MEDICATION ORDERS MUST BE ADMINISTERED ON-SITE;

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