Measure would increase physician assistant ratio

Physicians would be able to increase the number of physician assistants they supervise from four to eight under a measure passed Tuesday by the Florida House of Representatives. The bill (HB 1275) was approved by a vote of 100 to 19 despite concerns by some lawmakers that the change would mean spreading the attention of supervising physicians too thin, resulting in less oversight by the professional who is ultimately in charge. Physicians in Florida are permitted to use licensed physician assistants to carry out a number of procedures both in their office and in other locations. Those tasks include the prescription of medications that physician is licensed to handle, with the exception of controlled substances, and medicating a patient.

Source: AP, SFGate