Bill > S1170

This bill aims to promote team-based healthcare by establishing clear definitions and requirements for physician-led patient care teams. It defines a "patient care team" as a group of healthcare providers working together under the leadership of one or more "patient care team physicians," who are licensed physicians managing patient care. The bill also defines "collaboration" as the communication and decision-making process within these teams, and "consultation" as seeking advice from another healthcare professional. Importantly, it mandates that advanced practice nurses (APNs) and physician assistants (PAs) must practice as part of a physician-led patient care team, requiring written or electronic practice agreements with a physician that outline collaboration, consultation, and prescribing guidelines. These agreements will be jointly developed and reviewed by the Board of Registration in Medicine and the respective boards for nursing and physician assistants. The bill also clarifies that physicians leading these teams are not automatically liable for the actions of other team members and sets standards for the number of APNs or PAs a physician can oversee. Both APNs and PAs must disclose their role to patients and provide contact information for the physician-led team physician upon request. Finally, the bill confirms that APNs and PAs will retain their authority to prescribe controlled substances and order tests, within the established regulatory frameworks.