.02 Definitions.

A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

B. Terms Defined.

(1) “Accredited” means accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant or its successor.

(2) “Advanced duties” means medical acts that require additional education, training, or experience that is beyond the physician assistant education program required for licensure.

(3)  “ Ambulatory surgical facility” means a facility:

(a) Accredited by:

(i) The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities;

(ii) The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care; or

(iii) The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations; or

(b) Certified to participate in the Medicare Program, as enacted by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act.

(4) “Applicant” means an individual who applies to the State Board of Physicians for licensure as a physician assistant.

(5) “Board” means the State Board of Physicians.

(6) “Category I hours” means hours of continuing medical education given in formally organized programs pertinent to the practice of physician assistant duties, accredited by the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education, the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, or equivalent certifying bodies.

(7) “Collaborating physician” means one or more patient care team physicians who collaborate with a physician assistant under a collaboration agreement.

(8) Collaboration.

(a) “Collaboration” means the communication and decision-making process among health care providers who are members of a patient care team related to the treatment of a patient which includes the degree of cooperation necessary to provide treatment and care to the patient.

(b) “Collaboration” includes:

(i) Communication of data and information about the treatment and care of a patient, including the exchange of clinical observations and assessments; and

(ii) The development of an appropriate plan of care including decisions regarding the health care provided, accessing and assessing appropriate additional resources, expertise, referrals, testing, or studies.

(c) “Collaboration” does not require constant, physical presence of a collaborating physician on-site in the practice setting provided that the collaborating physician is accessible by electronic means.

(9) “Collaboration agreement” means a document that outlines the relationship between a physician assistant and an individual physician or a group of physicians which is maintained at the practice level and is developed between a physician assistant and collaborating physician or physicians.

(10) “Committee” means the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee.

(11) “Controlled dangerous substances” means any drug listed as such in Criminal Law Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(12) “Core duties” means medical acts that are included in the standard curricula of accredited physician assistant education programs.

(13) “Correctional facility” means a State or local correctional facility.

(14) “Detention center” means a State or local detention center.

(15) “Drug sample” means a unit of a prescription drug that is intended to promote the sale of the drug and is not intended for sale.

(16) “English-speaking professional school” means a school:

(a) That offers a degree after graduation from high school;

(b) That is in the United States, its territories and possessions, or the British Commonwealth; and

(c) Where all academic and clinical courses are taught in English.

(17) “Exempt facility” means:

(a) A hospital;

(b) An ambulatory surgical facility;

(c) A federally qualified health center as defined in Health-General Article, §24-1301(b), Annotated Code of Maryland; or

(d) Any other practice setting listed on a hospital delineation of privileges document.

(18)  “Hospital” means:

(a) A hospital as defined under Health-General Article, §19-301(g), Annotated Code of Maryland;

(b) A comprehensive care facility that:

(i) Meets the requirements of a hospital-based skilled nursing facility under 42 U.S.C. §1395i-3; and

(ii) Offers acute care in the same building; and

(c) An emergency room that is physically connected to a hospital or a freestanding medical facility that is licensed under Health-General Article, Title 19, Subtitle 3A, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(19) “Joint Commission” means the organization formerly known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

(20) “NCCPA” means the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, Inc.

(21) “On-site” means the physical presence of the collaborating physician on the premises of the facility where the physician assistant performs delegated medical acts.

(22) “Patient care team” means a multidisciplinary team of health care providers actively functioning as a unit with the leadership of one or more patient care team physicians for the purpose of providing and delivering health care to a patient or group of patients.

(23) “Patient care team physician” means a licensed physician who regularly practices in the State and who provides leadership in the care of patients as part of a patient care team.

(24) “Physician” means an individual who is licensed by the Board to practice medicine.

(25) “Physician assistant” means an individual who is licensed by the Board to practice as a physician assistant.

(26) “Prescriptive authority” means the authority of a physician assistant to:

(a) Prescribe and administer:

(i) Controlled dangerous substances;

(ii) Prescription drugs; and

(iii) Medical devices;

(b) Give verbal, written, or electronic orders for medications; and

(c) Dispense starter dosages or drug samples.

(27) “Public health facility” means a site where clinical public health services are rendered under the auspices of the Department, a local health department in a county, or the Baltimore City Health Department.

(28) “Starter dosage” means an amount of a drug sufficient to begin therapy:

(a) Of short duration of 72 hours or less; or

(b) Before obtaining a larger quantity of the drug to complete therapy.

(29) “Training” means the education or on-the-job training a physician assistant:

(a) Receives after initial licensure as a physician assistant; and

(b) Requires to perform advanced duties.