Scottsdale,
Ariz. - The Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants has withdrawn its approval for a geographically remote supervisory relationship that has allowed Kevin Earlywine, P.A., to practice as a Physician Assistant in Lakeside, Arizona, while under the supervision of a Phoenix physician. At its meeting in Scottsdale yesterday, the Board gave PA Earlywine ten days to find another supervising physician.
The Physician Assistant Practice Act requires all physician assistants in Arizona to have a supervising physician in order to see and treat patients. A physician assistant may only perform those health care tasks that the supervising physician has training in and performs.
In other action, the Board referred the case of one physician assistant to Formal Hearing for revocation; approved Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Order for a Letter of Reprimand for another PA; and issued non-disciplinary Advisory Letters in three other cases.
In his report to the Board, Executive Director Timothy C. Miller said Board Staff had managed to complete the investigations on about two-thirds of the cases that it had at the beginning of 2005, as well as those it had initiated since that time. Mr. Miller said the total number of cases under investigation went from 35 a year ago to only 12 now.
The Board formed a Subcommittee to review and revise the Arizona rules for physician assistants within the next year. The Board will form a stakeholder group to participate in this process.
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