Physician Assistants Supervising Others
HB267 amends the Physician Assistant Act to create a new category of “supervising physician assistant” and to allow certain experienced physician assistants to supervise newly licensed physician assistants. To qualify, a supervising physician assistant must hold a license, have at least three years of clinical practice as a physician assistant, and receive board approval under rules adopted by the New Mexico Medical Board. The bill also updates related definitions and supervision provisions throughout the act to reflect that physician assistants may be supervised by either a licensed physician or an approved supervising physician assistant.
The bill further directs the Medical Board to adopt rules establishing the approval process for supervising physician assistants, as well as rules governing supervision, collaboration, temporary delegation, licensure standards, and scope-of-practice requirements. It preserves existing malpractice insurance requirements and clarifies that physician assistants remain responsible for their own acts and omissions, while supervisors remain liable for delegated acts. The measure also distinguishes between specialty care and primary care settings, allowing collaboration in primary care under board rules and requiring supervision in specialty care as defined by the board.
HB267 would amend multiple sections of the Physician Assistant Act, primarily Sections 61-6C-2, 61-6C-6, 61-6C-7, and 61-6C-8 NMSA 1978. Its practical effect is to expand the supervisory structure for physician assistants by authorizing experienced PAs, once approved by the board, to supervise newly licensed PAs, rather than limiting supervision to licensed physicians alone. The bill would also require the New Mexico Medical Board to promulgate rules for approval, supervision, collaboration, and delegation, thereby affecting licensure administration, practice oversight, and liability relationships for physician assistants and their supervisors.
The available context suggests generally favorable or supportive sentiment toward the bill, including joint introduction by legislators from both parties and no recorded opposition in the provided materials. The bill appears to be framed as a workforce and licensure modernization measure, with an emphasis on using experienced physician assistants to help train and supervise newer licensees. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate intensity or formal support/opposition beyond the bill’s sponsorship and drafting.
The main policy issue is whether supervision authority should extend beyond physicians to experienced physician assistants, and if so, how much authority and responsibility those supervising PAs should have. Potential points of concern include patient safety, the adequacy of three years of clinical experience as a threshold, the scope of board discretion in approving supervising physician assistants, and how liability will be allocated among the supervised PA, the supervising PA, and any collaborating physician. The bill also preserves a distinction between specialty care and primary care, which could raise questions about where collaboration is appropriate versus where direct supervision should remain required.