Provides for the licensing of physician assistants and the continued registration of specialist assistants

2 Co-sponsors

• William J. Larkin Jr.
• Michael H. Ranzenhofer

BILL NUMBER:S4376B

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation to physician assistants and specialist assistants

Purpose

To clarify New York's statutes governing the practice of physician assistants and specialist assistants.

Summary of provisions

Amends the public health law by removing references to specialist assistants from Article 37 and adds all such references in a new Article 37-A governing the practice of specialist assistants. Amends education law by removing references to specialist assistants from article 131-B and adds all such references to specialist assistants in a new article 131-C. As such, the practice provisions and requirements of physician assistants and specialist assistants will be separated in law.

Justification

Physician assistants (PAs) are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. As part of their responsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, and assist in surgery. There are over 9,000 licensed physician assistants from Buffalo to Montauk practicing throughout New York, and all PAs must adhere to strict educational, licensing and continuing medical education requirements, Within the physician-PA relationship, physician assistants are authorized to exercise autonomy in medical decision making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. Because of the close working relationship PAs have with physicians, PAs are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training. New York has approximately 100 specialist assistants practicing in the State and is the only state in the Nation that registers specialist assistants. Specialist assistants in New York require a high school diploma and work under three categories licensed by the Education Department: orthopedic specialist assistant, urologic specialist assistant and radiologic specialist assistant. The licensing requirements and scope of practice of physician assistants and specialist assistants are therefore significantly different and New York's statutes must be clarified to recognize the two distinct professions.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; with provisions.