SECTION 185.2. Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) Act--The Physician Assistant Licensing Act, Texas Occupations Code Annotated, Title 3, Subtitle C, Chapter 204 as amended.

(2) Agency--The divisions, departments, and employees of the Texas Medical Board, the Texas Physician Assistant Board, and the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners.

(3) Alternate physician--A physician providing appropriate supervision on a temporary basis.

(4) APA--The Administrative Procedure Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 2001 as amended.

(5) Applicant--A party seeking a license from the Texas Physician Assistant Board.

(6) Board or the "physician assistant board"--The Texas Physician Assistant Board.

(7) Executive Director--The Executive Director of the Agency or the authorized designee of the Executive Director.

(8) Good professional character--An applicant for licensure must not be in violation of or committed any act described in the Physician Assistant Licensing Act, §§204.302 - 204.304, Texas Occupations Code Annotated.

(9) Medical Board--The Texas Medical Board.

(10) Medical Practice Act--Texas Occupations Code Annotated, Title 3, Subtitle B, as amended.

(11) Military service member--A person who is on active duty.

(12) Military spouse--A person who is married to a military service member.

(13) Military veteran--A person who served on active duty and who was discharged or released from active duty.

(14) Open Meetings Act--Texas Government Code Annotated, Chapter 551 as amended.

(15) Party--The physician assistant board and each person named or admitted as a party in a hearing before the State Office of Administrative Hearings or contested case before the physician assistant board.

(16) Physician assistant--A person licensed as a physician assistant by the Texas Physician Assistant Board.

(17) Prescriptive authority agreement--An agreement entered into by a physician and an advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant through which the physician delegates to the advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant the act of prescribing or ordering a drug or device. Prescriptive authority agreements are required for the delegation of the act of prescribing or ordering a drug or device in all practice settings, with the exception of a facility-based practice, pursuant to §157.054 of the Act.

(18) Presiding Officer--The physician assistant member of the Board appointed by the Governor to serve as the presiding officer of the board.

(19) State--Any state, territory, or insular possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.

(20) Submit--The term used to indicate that a completed item has been actually received and date-stamped by the board along with all required documentation and fees, if any.

(21) Supervising physician--A physician licensed by the medical board who has an active and unrestricted license and assumes responsibility and legal liability for the services rendered by the physician assistant, and who has notified the Medical Board of the intent to supervise a specific physician assistant and of the termination of such supervision.

(22) Supervision--Overseeing the activities of, and accepting responsibility for, the medical services rendered by a physician assistant. Supervision does not require the constant physical presence of the supervising physician but includes a situation where a supervising physician and the person being supervised are, or can easily be, in contact with one another by radio, telephone, or another telecommunication device.

(23) Unrestricted medical license--A license held by a physician issued by the Medical Board that is not subject to an order with restrictions that would impair a physician's ability to supervise a PA inconsistent with the public's well-being that could harm patients.

(24) Active duty--A person who is currently serving as full-time military service member in the armed forces of the United States or active duty military service as a member of the Texas military forces, as defined by §437.001, Government Code, or similar military service of another state.

(25) Armed forces of the United States--Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps of the United States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed forces.

Source Note: The provisions of this §185.2 adopted to be effective January 12, 1996, 21 TexReg 109; amended to be effective December 23, 1997, 22 TexReg 12492; amended to be effective May 9, 1999, 24 TexReg 3347; amended to be effective September 21, 2000, 25 TexReg 9218; amended to be effective January 6, 2002, 26 TexReg 10867; amended to be effective November 3, 2002, 27 TexReg 10027; amended to be effective June 29, 2006, 31 TexReg 5105; amended to be effective March 9, 2009, 34 TexReg 1590; amended to be effective June 5, 2014, 39 TexReg 4255; amended to be effective January 3, 2016, 40 TexReg 9640; amended to be effective September 26, 2016, 41 TexReg 7484