# Health Occupations (GHO)

## Title 15. Physician Assistants

### Subtitle 3. Certification

#### Section 15-301

(a) This title may not be construed to authorize a physician assistant to practice independently.

(b) A license issued to a physician assistant shall limit the physician assistant's scope of practice to medical acts:

  (1) Appropriate to the education, training, and experience of the physician assistant;

  (2) Customary to the practice of a patient care team physician; and

  (3) In a manner consistent with the collaboration agreement.

(c) Patient services that may be provided by a physician assistant under a collaboration agreement include:

  (1) Obtaining comprehensive health histories;

  (2) Performing physical examinations;

  (3) Evaluating, diagnosing, managing, and providing medical treatment;

  (4) Interpreting and evaluating patient data as authorized by a patient care team physician for the purpose of determining management and treatment of patients;

  (5) Initiating requests for or performing diagnostic procedures as indicated by pertinent data and as authorized by a patient care team physician;

  (6) Exercising prescriptive authority in accordance with Sec. 15-302.2 of this subtitle;

  (7) Informing patients about health promotion and disease prevention;

  (8) Providing consultations;

  (9) Writing medical orders;

  (10) Obtaining informed consent;

  (11) Delegating medical acts to licensed or unlicensed personnel as authorized under Sec. 14-306 of this article if the physician assistant has at least 7,000 hours of clinical practice experience; and

  (12) Certifying a patient's health or disability as required by a federal, State, or local program.

(d)

  (1) Except as otherwise provided in this title or Sec.Sec. 10-14A-03 and 10-14B-03 of the State Government Article, an individual shall be licensed by the Board before the individual may practice as a physician assistant.

  (2) Except as otherwise provided in this title, a physician may not collaborate with a physician assistant in the performance of medical acts without notifying the Board of a completed collaboration agreement with the Board.

  (3) Except as otherwise provided in this title or in a medical emergency, a physician assistant may not perform any medical act:

    (i) For which the individual has not been licensed;

    (ii) That has not been delegated in a manner consistent with the collaboration agreement;

    (iii) That is not appropriate to the education, training, and experience of the physician assistant; and

    (iv) That is not customary to the practice of a patient care team physician listed on the collaboration agreement.

(e) A physician assistant shall consult and collaborate with or refer an individual to an appropriate licensed physician or any other health care provider as appropriate.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in this title, the following individuals may practice as a physician assistant without a license:

  (1) A physician assistant student enrolled in a physician assistant educational program that is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant or its successor and approved by the Board; or

  (2) A physician assistant employed in the service of the federal government while practicing within the scope of the employment.

(g)

  (1) If a medical act that is to be performed by a physician assistant under this section is a part of the practice of a health occupation that is regulated under this article by another board, any rule or regulation concerning that medical act shall be adopted jointly by the State Board of Physicians and the board that regulates the other health occupation.

  (2) If the two boards cannot agree on a proposed rule or regulation, the proposal shall be submitted to the Secretary for a final decision.

#### Section 15-302

(a) A physician assistant may practice as a physician assistant only after providing notice to the Board, in a manner approved by the Board, of the executed collaboration agreement.

(b)

  (1) A collaboration agreement shall contain:

    (i) A description of the qualifications of the physician assistant and the physician or group of physicians who developed the collaboration agreement with the physician assistant;

    (ii) Any practice specialty of the physician or group of physicians; and

    (iii) A description of the settings in which the physician assistant will practice.

  (2) A collaboration agreement may include provisions limiting the physician assistant's scope of practice, specifying office procedures, or otherwise detailing the practice of the physician assistant as agreed by the physician or group of physicians and the physician assistant.

(c) If the Board determines that a patient care team physician or physician assistant is practicing in a manner inconsistent with the requirements of this title or Title 14 of this article, the Board on its own initiative or on the recommendation of the Committee may demand modification of the practice, withdraw the approval of an advanced duty regardless of whether the advanced duty requires prior approval under this section, or refer the matter to a disciplinary panel for the purpose of taking other disciplinary action under Sec. 14-404 of this article or Sec. 15-314 of this subtitle.

(d)

  (1) Except as provided under paragraph (2) of this subsection, a patient care team physician may not delegate medical acts under a collaboration agreement to more than eight physician assistants at any one time.

  (2) A patient care team physician may delegate medical acts under a collaboration agreement to more than eight physician assistants in:

    (i) A hospital;

    (ii) A correctional facility;

    (iii) A detention center; or

    (iv) A public health facility.

(e) A person may not coerce another person to enter into a collaboration agreement under this subtitle.

(f) Subject to the notice required under Sec. 15-103 of this title, a physician assistant may terminate a collaboration agreement under this subtitle at any time.

(g)

  (1) In the event of a sudden departure, incapacity, or death of a patient care team physician, or change in license status that results in a patient care team physician being unable to legally practice medicine, the collaboration agreement will remain active and valid under the supervision of any remaining listed patient care team physicians.

  (2) If there is no remaining patient care team physician listed on the collaboration agreement, the physician assistant may not practice until the physician assistant has executed a new collaboration agreement and, if applicable, has Board approval to perform any advanced duties delegated to the physician assistant under the new collaboration agreement.

  (3) The Board may terminate a collaboration agreement if:

    (i) The physician assistant has a change in license status that results in the physician assistant being unable to legally practice as a physician assistant; or

    (ii) Immediately after an event listed under paragraph (1) of this subsection if there is no remaining patient care team physician listed in the collaboration agreement.

(h) A physician assistant whose collaboration agreement is terminated may not practice as a physician assistant until the physician assistant executes a new collaboration agreement under this section.

(i) A physician assistant may practice in accordance with a collaboration agreement under this subtitle.

(j) A patient care team physician may be added or removed from a collaboration agreement by immediately documenting the addition or removal in the collaboration agreement on file at the physician assistant's primary place of business.

(k) The Board may modify a collaboration agreement if it finds that:

  (1) The collaboration agreement does not meet the requirements of this subtitle; or

  (2) The physician assistant is unable to perform the delegated duties safely.

(l) A collaboration agreement shall be maintained at the practice setting and made available to the Board on request.

(m) A licensed physician assistant who fails to comply with the collaboration agreement requirements is subject to an administrative penalty as established in regulations.

#### Section 15-302.1

(a) In this section, "exempt facility" means:

  (1) A hospital;

  (2) An ambulatory surgical facility;

  (3) A federally qualified health center; or

  (4) Another practice setting listed on a hospital delineation of privileges document.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, a physician assistant may perform advanced duties without Board approval if the advanced duty will be performed in an exempt facility and:

  (1) The physician assistant is supervised by a physician with credentials that have been reviewed by the exempt facility as a condition of employment as an independent contractor or as a member of the medical staff;

  (2) The physician assistant has credentials that have been reviewed by the exempt facility as a condition of employment as an independent contractor or as a member of the medical staff; and

  (3) The advanced duty to be delegated to the physician assistant is reviewed and approved in a process approved by the exempt facility before the physician assistant performs the advanced duty.

(c)

  (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection and subsection (d) of this section and except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, a physician assistant may perform advanced duties in a practice setting that is not an exempt facility only after the physician assistant obtains Board approval of the advanced duty under the collaboration agreement.

  (2) A physician assistant may perform X-ray duties in the medical office of a patient care team physician if:

    (i) The physician assistant has completed a course that includes radiographic studies of the extremities of at least 20 separate patients;

    (ii) The X-rays are limited to the extremities;

    (iii) The X-rays are performed under the direct supervision of a collaborating physician or radiologist;

    (iv) The X-rays are performed using a mini C-arm or a similar low-level radiation machine to perform nonfluoroscopic X-ray procedures; and

    (v) The physician assistant obtains Board approval of the X-ray duty as an advanced duty under the collaboration agreement.

(d) A physician assistant may not perform the medical acts of administering general anesthesia or neuroaxial anesthesia, including spinal, epidural, and image guided interventional spine procedures.

(e) A physician assistant may perform an advanced duty in collaboration with a patient care team physician without prior approval of the Board if:

  (1) The Board has previously approved the physician assistant to perform the advanced duty in collaboration with a patient care team physician; or

  (2) The physician assistant has at least 7,000 hours of clinical practice experience.

(f) If an advanced duty requires Board approval, the Committee:

  (1) Shall review the collaboration agreement;

  (2) May conduct a personal interview of the physician assistant and patient care team physicians; and

  (3) May recommend to the Board that the collaboration agreement be modified to ensure conformance with the requirements of this title.

(g)

  (1) On review of the Committee's recommendations regarding the request of a patient care team physician to delegate advanced duties as described in a collaboration agreement, the Board may modify the performance of advanced duties under a collaboration agreement if the physician assistant does not meet the applicable education, training, and experience requirements to perform the specified advanced duties.

  (2) If the Board makes a modification under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Board:

    (i) Shall notify the delegating patient care team physician listed in the collaboration agreement and the physician assistant in writing of the particular elements of the advanced duty approval request that were the cause for the modification; and

    (ii) May not restrict the submission of an amendment to the advanced duty.

(h) Documentation demonstrating a physician assistant's authority to perform an advanced duty under this section shall be maintained at the facility in which the physician assistant is performing the advanced duty.

(i) Individual members of the Board are not civilly liable for actions regarding the approval, modification, or disapproval of an advanced duty under the collaboration agreement described in this section.

#### Section 15-302.2

(a) A patient care team physician may not delegate prescribing, dispensing, and administering of controlled dangerous substances, prescription drugs, or medical devices unless the patient care team physician and physician assistant include in the collaboration agreement:

  (1) The authority of the physician assistant to prescribe and, if applicable, dispense controlled dangerous substances, prescription drugs, or medical devices;

  (2) An attestation that all prescribing and, if applicable, dispensing activities of the physician assistant will comply with applicable federal and State law and regulations;

  (3) An attestation that all medical charts or records will contain a notation of any prescriptions written or dispensed by a physician assistant in accordance with this section;

  (4) An attestation that all prescriptions dispensed under this section will include the physician assistant's name and the patient care team physician's name, business address, and business telephone number legibly written or printed;

  (5) An attestation that all prescriptions written under this section will include the physician assistant's name, business address, and business telephone number legibly written or printed;

  (6) An attestation that the physician assistant has:

    (i) Passed the physician assistant national certification exam administered by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants within the previous 2 years; or

    (ii) Successfully completed 8 category 1 hours of pharmacology education within the previous 2 years; and

  (7) An attestation that the physician assistant has:

    (i) A bachelor's degree or its equivalent; or

    (ii) Successfully completed 2 years of work experience as a physician assistant.

(b)

  (1) A patient care team physician may not delegate the prescribing or dispensing of substances that are identified as Schedule I controlled dangerous substances under Sec. 5-402 of the Criminal Law Article.

  (2) A patient care team physician may delegate the prescribing or dispensing of substances that are identified as Schedules II through V controlled dangerous substances under Sec. 5-402 of the Criminal Law Article, including legend drugs as defined under Sec. 503(b) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

  (3) A patient care team physician may not delegate the prescribing or dispensing of controlled dangerous substances to a physician assistant unless the physician assistant has a valid:

    (i) State controlled dangerous substance registration; and

    (ii) Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) registration.

(c)

  (1) A patient care team physician may authorize a physician assistant to personally prepare and dispense a drug that the physician assistant is authorized to prescribe under a collaboration agreement if:

    (i) Except as otherwise provided under Sec. 12-102(g) of this article, the patient care team physician possesses a dispensing permit; and

    (ii) The physician assistant dispenses drugs only within:

      (1) The patient care team physician's scope of practice; and

      (2) The scope of the collaboration agreement.

  (2) A patient care team physician may delegate any dispensing duties, including the performance of the final check of prescriptions as required under Sec. 12-102(a)(4)(ii) of this article.

#### Section 15-303

(a) To qualify for a license, an applicant shall:

  (1) Complete a criminal history records check in accordance with Sec. 14-308.1 of this article;

  (2) Be of good moral character;

  (3) Demonstrate oral and written competency in the English language as required by the Board;

  (4) Be at least 18 years old;

  (5) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, have successfully completed an educational program for physician assistants accredited by

  the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant or its predecessor; and

  (6) Have passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

(b) An applicant who graduates from an accredited educational program for physician assistants under this section after October 1, 2003, shall have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent.

#### Section 15-304

An applicant for a license shall:

(1) Complete a criminal history records check in accordance with Sec. 14-308.1 of this article;

(2) Submit an application to the Board on the form that the Board requires; and

(3) Pay to the Board the application fee set by the Board.

#### Section 15-305

(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the Board shall issue a license to an applicant who meets the requirements of this title.

(b)

  (1) On receipt of the criminal history record information of an applicant for licensure forwarded to the Board in accordance with Sec. 14-308.1 of this article, in determining whether to issue a license, the Board shall consider:

    (i) The age at which the crime was committed;

    (ii) The nature of the crime;

    (iii) The circumstances surrounding the crime;

    (iv) The length of time that has passed since the crime;

    (v) Subsequent work history;

    (vi) Employment and character references; and

    (vii) Other evidence that demonstrates whether the applicant poses a threat to the public health or safety.

  (2) The Board may not issue a license if the criminal history record information required under Sec. 14-308.1 of this article has not been received.

#### Section 15-306

A license authorizes the licensee to practice as a physician assistant while the license is effective.

#### Section 15-307

(a)

  (1) Unless a license is renewed for an additional term as provided in this section, the license expires on the date set by the Board.

  (2) The term of a license issued by the Board may not exceed 3 years.

(b) At least 1 month before a license expires, the Board shall send to the licensee, by first-class mail to the last known address of the licensee, a renewal notice that states:

  (1) The date on which the current license expires;

  (2) The date by which the Board must receive the renewal application for the renewal to be issued and mailed before the license expires; and

  (3) The amount of the renewal fee.

(c) Before a license expires, the licensee periodically may renew it for an additional 2-year term, if the licensee:

  (1) Is otherwise entitled to be issued a license;

  (2) Pays to the Board the renewal fee, set by the Board;

  (3) Submits to the Board:

    (i) A renewal application on the form that the Board requires; and

    (ii) Satisfactory evidence of compliance with the continuing education requirements for license renewal set by the Board under this section; and

  (4) Meets any additional requirements set by the Board for renewal of a license.

(d) In addition to any other qualifications and requirements established by the Board, the Board shall establish continuing education requirements as a condition for the renewal of licenses under this section.

(e) The Board shall renew the license of each licensee who meets the requirements of this section.

(f) For the failure of a licensee to obtain continuing medical education credits as required by the Board, a disciplinary panel may impose a civil penalty not to exceed $100 for each medical education credit not obtained by the licensee.

(g)

  (1) Beginning October 1, 2016, the Board shall require a criminal history records check in accordance with Sec. 14-308.1 of this article for:

    (i) Renewal applicants as determined by regulations adopted by the Board; and

    (ii) Each former licensee who files for reinstatement under this title.

  (2) On receipt of the criminal history record information of a licensee forwarded to the Board in accordance with Sec. 14-308.1 of this article, in determining whether disciplinary action should be taken, based on the criminal history record information, against a licensee who renewed or reinstated a license, the Board shall consider:

    (i) The age at which the crime was committed;

    (ii) The nature of the crime;

    (iii) The circumstances surrounding the crime;

    (iv) The length of time that has passed since the crime;

    (v) Subsequent work history;

    (vi) Employment and character references; and

    (vii) Other evidence that demonstrates whether the licensee poses a threat to the public health or safety.

  (3) The Board may renew or reinstate a license only if the licensee or applicant attests that the licensee or applicant has submitted to a criminal history records check under Sec. 14-308.1 of this article.

#### Section 15-308

(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the Board, in accordance with its regulations, shall reinstate the license of a physician assistant who has failed to renew the license for any reason if the physician assistant:

  (1) Meets the renewal requirements of Sec. 15-307 of this subtitle;

  (2) Pays to the Board the reinstatement fee set by the Board;

  (3) Submits to the Board satisfactory evidence of compliance with the qualifications and requirements established under this subtitle for license reinstatements; and

  (4) Meets any additional requirements set by the Board for reinstatement.

(b) A disciplinary panel may not reinstate a surrendered or revoked license that has been surrendered or revoked for a period of more than 1 year unless the licensee:

  (1) Meets the requirements for reinstatement as established under this title; and

  (2) Completes a criminal history records check in accordance with Sec. 14-308.1 of this article.

#### Section 15-309

(a) Each licensee shall keep a license and collaboration agreement for inspection at the primary place of business of the licensee.

(b)

  (1) A licensee shall provide the Board written notice of any change of name or address within 30 days after the change.

  (2) A licensee who fails to comply with this subsection is subject to an administrative penalty of $100.

(c) The Board may audit and review collaboration agreements kept by the licensee at the primary place of business of the licensee at any time.

(d) A physician assistant who fails to produce a collaboration agreement to the Board on request is subject to an administrative penalty as established in regulations.

#### Section 15-310

(a) In reviewing an application for licensure or in investigating an allegation brought under Sec. 15-314 of this subtitle, the Committee may request the Board to direct, or the Board on its own initiative may direct, the physician assistant to submit to an appropriate examination.

(b) In return for the privilege given to the physician assistant to practice as a physician assistant in the State, the physician assistant is deemed to have:

  (1) Consented to submit to an examination under this section, if requested by the Board in writing; and

  (2) Waived any claim of privilege as to the testimony or examination reports.

(c) The unreasonable failure or refusal of the licensed physician assistant or applicant to submit to an examination is prima facie evidence of the licensed physician assistant's inability to practice as a physician assistant and is cause for denial of the application or immediate suspension of the license.

(d) The Board shall pay the costs of any examination made under this section.

#### Section 15-311

Subject to the hearing provisions of Sec. 15-315 of this subtitle, a disciplinary panel, on the affirmative vote of a majority of a quorum, may deny a license to any applicant for:

(1) Any of the reasons that are grounds for disciplinary action under Sec. 15-314 of this subtitle; and

(2) Failure to complete a criminal history records check in accordance with Sec. 14-308.1 of this article.

#### Section 15-312

(a) Unless a disciplinary panel agrees to accept the surrender of a license of a physician assistant, the physician assistant may not surrender the license nor may the licensure lapse by operation of law while the physician assistant is under investigation or while charges are pending.

(b) A disciplinary panel may set conditions on its agreement to accept surrender of a license.

#### Section 15-314

(a) Subject to the hearing provisions of Sec. 15-315 of this subtitle, a disciplinary panel, on the affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum, may reprimand any physician assistant, place any physician assistant on probation, or suspend or revoke a license if the physician assistant:

  (1) Fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a license for the applicant or licensee or for another;

  (2) Fraudulently or deceptively uses a license;

  (3) Is guilty of:

    (i) Immoral conduct in the practice of medicine; or

    (ii) Unprofessional conduct in the practice of medicine;

  (4) Is:

    (i) Professionally incompetent;

    (ii) Physically incompetent; or

    (iii) Mentally incompetent;

  (5) Solicits or advertises in violation of Sec. 14-503 of this article;

  (6) Abandons a patient;

  (7) Habitually is intoxicated;

  (8) Is addicted to, or habitually abuses, any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance as defined in Sec. 5-101 of the Criminal Law Article;

  (9) Provides professional services:

    (i) While under the influence of alcohol; or

    (ii) While using any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance, as defined in Sec. 5-101 of the Criminal Law Article, or other drug that is in excess of therapeutic amounts or without valid medical indication;

  (10) Promotes the sale of drugs, devices, appliances, or goods to a patient so as to exploit the patient for financial gain;

  (11) Willfully makes or files a false report or record in the practice of medicine;

  (12) Willfully fails to file or record any medical report as required under law, willfully impedes or obstructs the filing or recording of the report, or induces another to fail to file or record the report;

  (13) On proper request, and in accordance with the provisions of Title 4, Subtitle 3 of the Health - General Article, fails to provide details of a patient's medical record to the patient, another physician, or hospital;

  (14) Solicits professional patronage through an agent or other person or profits from the acts of a person who is represented as an agent of the physician;

  (15) Pays or agrees to pay any sum to any person for bringing or referring a patient or accepts or agrees to accept any sum from any person for bringing or referring a patient;

  (16) Agrees with a clinical or bioanalytical laboratory to make payments to the laboratory for a test or test series for a patient, unless the licensed physician assistant discloses on the bill to the patient or third-party payor:

    (i) The name of the laboratory;

    (ii) The amount paid to the laboratory for the test or test series; and

    (iii) The amount of procurement or processing charge of the licensed physician, if any, for each specimen taken;

  (17) Makes a willful misrepresentation in treatment;

  (18) Practices medicine with an unauthorized person or aids an unauthorized person in the practice of medicine;

  (19) Establishes a pattern of excessive or medically unnecessary procedures or treatment;

  (20) Offers, undertakes, or agrees to cure or treat disease by a secret method, treatment, or medicine;

  (21) Is disciplined by a licensing or disciplinary authority or convicted or disciplined by a court of any state or country, or disciplined by any branch of the uniformed services or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, for an act that would be grounds for disciplinary action under the Board's disciplinary statutes;

  (22) Fails to meet appropriate standards for the delivery of quality medical and surgical care performed in an outpatient surgical facility, office, hospital, or any other location in this State;

  (23) Willfully submits false statements to collect fees for which services are not provided;

  (24) Was subject to investigation or disciplinary action by a licensing or disciplinary authority or by a court of any state or country for an act that would be grounds for disciplinary action under this section and the licensee:

    (i) Surrendered the license issued by the state or country to the state or country; or

    (ii) Allowed the license issued by the state or country to expire or lapse;

  (25) Willfully fails to report suspected child abuse in violation of Sec. 5-704 of the Family Law Article;

  (26) Fails to educate a patient being treated for breast cancer of alternative methods of treatment as required by Sec. 20-113 of the Health - General Article;

  (27) Sells, prescribes, gives away, or administers drugs for illegal or illegitimate medical purposes;

  (28) Fails to comply with the provisions of Sec. 12-102 of this article;

  (29) Refuses, withholds from, denies, or discriminates against an individual with regard to the provision of professional services for which the physician assistant is licensed and qualified to render because the individual is HIV positive;

  (30) Except as to an association that has remained in continuous existence since July 1, 1963:

    (i) Associates with a pharmacist as a partner or co-owner of a pharmacy for the purpose of operating a pharmacy;

    (ii) Employs a pharmacist for the purpose of operating a pharmacy; or

    (iii) Contracts with a pharmacist for the purpose of operating a pharmacy;

  (31) Except in an emergency life-threatening situation where it is not feasible or practicable, fails to comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines on universal precautions;

  (32) Fails to display the notice required under Sec. 14-415 of this article;

  (33) Fails to cooperate with a lawful investigation conducted by the Board or a disciplinary panel;

  (34) Is convicted of insurance fraud as defined in Sec. 27-801 of the Insurance Article;

  (35) Is in breach of a service obligation resulting from the applicant's or licensee's receipt of State or federal funding for the physician assistant's medical education;

  (36) Willfully makes a false representation when seeking or making application for licensure or any other application related to the practice of medicine;

  (37) Intimidates or influences, or attempts to intimidate or influence, for the purpose of causing any person to withhold or change testimony in hearings or proceedings before the Board or a disciplinary panel or those otherwise delegated to the Office of Administrative Hearings;

  (38) Willfully hinders, prevents, or otherwise delays any person from making information available to the Board or a disciplinary panel in furtherance of any investigation of the Board or a disciplinary panel;

  (39) Intentionally misrepresents credentials for the purpose of testifying or rendering an expert opinion in hearings or proceedings before the Board or a disciplinary panel or those otherwise delegated to the Office of Administrative Hearings;

  (40) Fails to keep adequate medical records;

  (41) Performs medical acts in a manner that is not consistent with the collaboration agreement;

  (42) Performs medical acts which are outside the education, training, and experience of the physician assistant;

  (43) Performs medical acts that are not customary to the practice of the patient care team physicians listed on the collaboration agreement;

  (44) Practices as a physician assistant without first providing notice to the Board as required under Sec. 15-302(a) of this subtitle;

  (45) Fails to complete a criminal history records check under Sec. 14-308.1 of this article;

  (46) Fails to comply with the requirements of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program under Title 21, Subtitle 2A of the Health - General Article;

  (47) Fails to comply with any State or federal law pertaining to the practice as a physician assistant; or

  (48) Willfully makes a misrepresentation to a disciplinary panel.

(b)

  (1) On the filing of certified docket entries with the Board by the Office of the Attorney General, a disciplinary panel shall order the suspension of a license if the physician assistant is convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere with respect to a crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside.

  (2) After completion of the appellate process if the conviction has not been reversed or the plea has not been set aside with respect to a crime involving moral turpitude, a disciplinary panel shall order the revocation of a license on the certification by the Office of the Attorney General.

#### Section 15-315

(a)

  (1) Except as otherwise provided under Sec. 10-226 of the State Government Article, before a disciplinary panel takes any action under Sec. 15-311 or Sec. 15-314(a) of this subtitle, the disciplinary panel shall give the individual against whom the action is contemplated an opportunity for a hearing before a hearing officer.

  (2) The hearing officer shall give notice and hold the hearing in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.

  (3) A disciplinary panel may administer oaths in connection with any proceeding under this section.

(b)

  (1) Any licensee who is aggrieved by a final decision of the Board or a disciplinary panel under this subtitle may take a direct judicial appeal.

  (2) The appeal shall be as provided for judicial review of the final decision in Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.

(c) An order of the Board or a disciplinary panel under this subtitle may not be stayed pending review.

(d) All of the findings and orders of the Board or a disciplinary panel that relate to physician assistants are subject to the provisions of Title 14, Subtitle 4 of this article.

#### Section 15-316

(a) If, after a hearing under Sec. 15-315 of this subtitle, a disciplinary panel finds that there are grounds for discipline under Sec. 15-314(a) of this subtitle to suspend or revoke a license of a physician assistant, reprimand a licensed physician assistant, or place the licensed physician assistant on probation, the disciplinary panel may impose a fine subject to the Board's regulations in addition to suspending or revoking the license, reprimanding the licensee, or placing the licensee on probation.

(b) The Board shall pay any fines collected under this section into the General Fund of the State.

(c) In addition to any sanction authorized under this subtitle, a disciplinary panel may require a licensee to comply with specified terms and conditions determined by the disciplinary panel.

#### Section 15-316.1

(a) Following the filing of charges or notice of initial denial of license application, the Board shall disclose the filing to the public on the Board's Web site.

(b) The Board shall create and maintain a public individual profile on each licensee that includes the following information:

  (1) A summary of charges filed against the licensee, including a copy of the charging document, until a disciplinary panel has taken action under Sec. 15-314 of this subtitle based on the charges or has rescinded the charges;

  (2) A description of any disciplinary action taken by the Board or a disciplinary panel against the licensee within the most recent 10-year period that includes a copy of the public order;

  (3) A description in summary form of any final disciplinary action taken by a licensing board in any other state or jurisdiction against the licensee within the most recent 10-year period;

  (4) A description of a conviction or entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere by the licensee for a crime involving moral turpitude that is the basis for disciplinary action taken under Sec. 15-314(b) of this subtitle; and

  (5) The public address of the licensee.

(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, the Board shall include on each licensee's profile a statement of information to be taken into consideration by a consumer when viewing a licensee's profile, including a disclaimer stating that a charging document does not indicate a final finding of guilt by a disciplinary panel.

(d) The Board:

  (1) On receipt of a written request for a licensee's profile from any person, shall forward a written copy of the profile to the person; and

  (2) Shall maintain a Web site that serves as a single point of entry where all licensee profile information is available to the public on the Internet.

(e) The Board shall provide a mechanism for the notification and prompt correction of any factual inaccuracies in a licensee's profile.

(f) The Board shall include information relating to charges filed against a licensee by a disciplinary panel and any final disciplinary action taken by a disciplinary panel against a licensee in the licensee's profile within 10 days after the charges are filed or the action becomes final.

#### Section 15-317

(a) A physician assistant who is licensed in this State or in any other state or who is an employee of the federal government is authorized to perform acts, tasks, or functions as a physician assistant during a disaster as defined by the Governor, within a county in which a state of disaster has been declared, or counties contiguous to a county in which a state of disaster has been declared.

(b) The physician assistant shall notify the Board in writing of the names, practice locations, and telephone numbers for the physician assistant within 30 days after the first performance of medical acts, tasks, or functions as a physician assistant during the disaster.

(c) A team of physicians and physician assistants or physician assistants practicing under this section may not be required to maintain on-site documentation describing collaboration agreements as otherwise required under this title.

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Md. Code Ann., Health Occ. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)