225 ILCS 95/7.5

(225 ILCS 95/7.5)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)

Sec. 7.5. Written collaborative agreements; prescriptive authority.

(a) A written collaborative agreement is required for all physician assistants to practice in the State, except as provided in Section 7.7 of this Act.

(1) A written collaborative agreement shall describe the working relationship of the physician assistant with the collaborating physician and shall describe the categories of care, treatment, or procedures to be provided by the physician assistant. The written collaborative agreement shall promote the exercise of professional judgment by the physician assistant commensurate with his or her education and experience. The services to be provided by the physician assistant shall be services that the collaborating physician is authorized to and generally provides to his or her patients in the normal course of his or her clinical medical practice. The written collaborative agreement need not describe the exact steps that a physician assistant must take with respect to each specific condition, disease, or symptom but must specify which authorized procedures require the presence of the collaborating physician as the procedures are being performed. The relationship under a written collaborative agreement shall not be construed to require the personal presence of a physician at the place where services are rendered. Methods of communication shall be available for consultation with the collaborating physician in person or by telecommunications or electronic communications as set forth in the written collaborative agreement. For the purposes of this Act, "generally provides to his or her patients in the normal course of his or her clinical medical practice" means services, not specific tasks or duties, the collaborating physician routinely provides individually or through delegation to other persons so that the physician has the experience and ability to collaborate and provide consultation.

(2) The written collaborative agreement shall be adequate if a physician does each of the following:

(A) Participates in the joint formulation and joint approval of orders or guidelines with the physician assistant and he or she periodically reviews such orders and the services provided patients under such orders in accordance with accepted standards of medical practice and physician assistant practice.

(B) Provides consultation at least once a month.

(3) A copy of the signed, written collaborative agreement must be available to the Department upon request from both the physician assistant and the collaborating physician.

(4) A physician assistant shall inform each collaborating physician of all written collaborative agreements he or she has signed and provide a copy of these to any collaborating physician upon request.

(b) A collaborating physician may, but is not required to, delegate prescriptive authority to a physician assistant as part of a written collaborative agreement. This authority may, but is not required to, include prescription of, selection of, orders for, administration of, storage of, acceptance of samples of, and dispensing medical devices, over-the-counter medications, legend drugs, medical gases, and controlled substances categorized as Schedule II through V controlled substances, as defined in Article II of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, and other preparations, including, but not limited to, botanical and herbal remedies. The collaborating physician must have a valid, current Illinois controlled substance license and federal registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration to delegate the authority to prescribe controlled substances.

(1) To prescribe Schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substances under this Section, a physician assistant must obtain a mid-level practitioner controlled substances license. Medication orders issued by a physician assistant shall be reviewed periodically by the collaborating physician.

(2) The collaborating physician shall file with the Department notice of delegation of prescriptive authority to a physician assistant and termination of delegation, specifying the authority delegated or terminated. Upon receipt of this notice delegating authority to prescribe controlled substances, the physician assistant shall be eligible to register for a mid-level practitioner controlled substances license under Section 303.05 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the delegation of tasks or duties by the collaborating physician to a nurse or other appropriately trained persons in accordance with Section 54.2 of the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

(3) In addition to the requirements of this subsection (b), a collaborating physician may, but is not required to, delegate authority to a physician assistant to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances, if all of the following conditions apply:

(A) Specific Schedule II controlled substances by oral dosage or topical or transdermal application may be delegated, provided that the delegated Schedule II controlled substances are routinely prescribed by the collaborating physician. This delegation must identify the specific Schedule II controlled substances by either brand name or generic name. Schedule II controlled substances to be delivered by injection or other route of administration may not be delegated.

(B) (Blank).

(C) Any prescription must be limited to no more than a 30-day supply, with any continuation authorized only after prior approval of the collaborating physician.

(D) The physician assistant must discuss the condition of any patients for whom a controlled substance is prescribed monthly with the collaborating physician.

(E) The physician assistant meets the education requirements of Section 303.05 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.

(c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the delegation of tasks or duties by a physician to a licensed practical nurse, a registered professional nurse, or other persons. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the method of delegation that may be authorized by any means, including, but not limited to, oral, written, electronic, standing orders, protocols, guidelines, or verbal orders. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize a physician assistant to provide health care services required by law or rule to be performed by a physician. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the delegation or performance of operative surgery. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to preclude a physician assistant from assisting in surgery.

(c-5) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to apply to any medication authority, including Schedule II controlled substances of a licensed physician assistant for care provided in a hospital, hospital affiliate, federally qualified health center, or ambulatory surgical treatment center pursuant to Section 7.7 of this Act.

(d) (Blank).

(e) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit generic substitution.

(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 103-65, eff. 1-1-24; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.)