Legal Responsibility for Actions of Physician Assistant

(1) Where a physician assistant is employed by a physician or group of physicians, the employing physician or physicians shall remain legally responsible for the acts or omissions of said physician assistant at all times, including those occasions where said physician assistant, under the direction and supervision of said employing physician or physicians, aids in the care and treatment of patients in a health care facility. (2) Where a physician assistant is employed by a health care facility, the employing health care facility shall be legally responsible for the acts or omissions of said physician assistant at all times. Physician assistants who are employed by health care facilities shall nevertheless be supervised by licensed physicians, as required by 263 CMR 5.04. Physician assistants employed by health care facilities shall not be utilized as the sole medical personnel in charge of emergency services, outpatient services, or any other clinical service where a licensed physician is not regularly available.