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ALLIED HEALTH PERSONNEL

Physician Relationship with Non-Physician Practitioners

RESOLVED, That the North Carolina Medical Society supports the following guidelines for supervising physicians and non-physician practitioners who perform medical acts, tasks, and functions:

  1. Each professional is responsible for meeting practice standards of her/his professional group and regulatory board.
  2. Each professional is responsible for maintaining a working environment in which there is mutual trust and respect, and open, active communication, promoting the optimum contribution of skills and knowledge to the services offered to patients.
  3. A clear understanding of the circumstances requiring consultation with the supervising physician as documented.
  4. Geographic separation is not a barrier when consultation can be accomplished in a reasonable time frame by telephone or other means of communication.
  5. Professional credentials of each are communicated by signage, name tags, etc.
  6. Practice arrangements include a negotiated method for addressing ongoing quality assurance.
  7. Each professional is aware of limitations of knowledge or skills, and willing to refer for appropriate consultation and care as necessary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the North Carolina Medical Society supports the requirement of physician supervision of health care providers who perform medical acts, tasks, and functions.

(Report DD-1996, adopted 11/17/96)
(revised as amended, Report H-2003, Item 3 #31, adopted as amended 11/16/03)
(revised, Report N-2008, Item 3-46, adopted 10/19/2008)
(revised, Report G-2013, Item 1-6, adopted 10/26/2013)