Supervising Physicians

Application and Approval

The Oregon Legislature passed HB 3036 (2021) to shift PA practice from a supervision to a collaboration model. Starting July 15, 2022, a PA may enter a collaboration agreement to practice in Oregon. During the transition, PAs may continue to practice under an existing practice agreement with a supervising physician until December 31, 2023. However, starting July 15, 2022, a PA may not enter a new practice agreement or make changes to an existing practice agreement. If changes are needed on or after July 15, 2022, the PA will need to transition to a collaboration agreement. Also, a physician may not apply to be a supervising physician on or after July 15, 2022. See the HB 3036 webpage for more information.

Supervising Physician Organization (SPO)

A “Supervising Physician Organization" (SPO) is a group of supervising physicians who collectively supervise the physician assistant(s) under a practice agreement. Effective July 15 ,2022, a new SOP may not be formed. If changes are needed, the PA will need to transition to a collaboration agreement.

Under a practice agreement, supervising physicians within a SPO are subject to the same responsibilities, requirements, and supervisory duties as any other supervising physician except that the supervision may be shared and physician-to-PA ratios do not apply.

Designation of Primary Supervising Physician

One physician within the SPO must be designated as the primary supervising physician. The primary supervising physician is responsible for the administrative direction of the SPO and may also provide clinical supervision. The primary supervising physician must terminate the practice agreements for PAs who are supervised by the SPO when they transition to a collaboration agreement.

Agents

Under a practice agreement or practice description, an agent is a physician designated in writing to supervise a physician assistant when the supervising physician is unavailable for short periods of time, such as but not limited to when the supervising physician is on vacation. The agent must be an Oregon-licensed physician in good standing. In the absence of the supervising physician, the agent assumes the same responsibilities as the supervising physician (see OAR 847-050-0038).

An Agent Acknowledgement Form memorializing this agreement should be kept at the primary practice site (not filed with the Board).

Note: Agents may not be used by Supervising Physician Organizations.

Personal Responsibility

Under a practice agreement or practice description, when the supervising physician is a member or an employee of a professional corporation or partnership, the primary supervising physician and any acting supervising physician are in all cases individually responsible for the direction and supervision of the physician assistant's work. Such responsibility for supervision cannot be transferred to the corporation or partnership (see OAR 847-050-004(12)).