As a Director of a Clinical Research facility as well as the person responsible for hiring staff, I was seeking the legal scope of MAs. I read your listing of what an MA CAN DO and CAN'T DO. The information provided on this web site is not accurate. In the State of PA as well as others, MAs can do many of things you list as CAN'T DO. Our State provides a wide scope for MAs, allowing licensed physicians to decide what he/she will permit their MAs to perform. If you are going to provide information, it should be accurate.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: BA, CPT, CCRA

Guy, I agree and disagree with you and appreciate your critique.

You must understand that my website serves as a general guide and the do's and dont's are listed as such -- a guide. My disclaimer is posted as follows new the end of this post...

It would be impossible to list each individual procedure that is allowed and not for each state. Some states are more lax with the rulres and some are very strict concerning the rules that govern practicing medical assistants. The vast majority of visitors to my site understand that and they come with the understanding that my website provides basic information as it applies to the masses.

Visitors to my site know that they will find the basic information they need and will never be left "hanging" without the resouces to go out and find the answers they seek. This is particularly true for the scope of practice section on my site!

The given Do's and Dont's examples apply to the vast majority in this country and the rest is well explained including where to go to find out specific details.

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Disclaimer as posted:

The above is not an exclusive itemization of the technical supportive services a medical assistant can or cannot perform. Medical assistants must ALWAYS adhere to state and local laws and regulations!

As an integral part of the allied health care team medical assistants must demonstrate practice consistent with legal standards and state regulations that may apply. Since all fifty (50) states vary in their regulations as to the definition, training standards and scope of practice of the medical assistant, specific state requirements for practice must be identified and met by the concerned individual within the state they work!

Nationally recognized credentialing bodies for medical assistants, however, may further define and regulate the role of the medical assistant. Medical assistants working in a medical office setting must adhere to the rules, regulations and requirements mandated by their state in which they practice as well as those imposed by their credentialing body/certification association.


Thanks, and come again to read and post often.
Danni

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Site Admin

For anybody who has not seen and wonders where to find the Scope of Practice "Do's and Dont's" Guy and I are referring to, they are listed on the MedicalAssistant.net website here:

http://www.medicalassistant.net/scope_practice.htm

This is the Dont's List:

Certain tasks that medical assistants are NOT allowed to do.

Medical Assistants:
Cannot independently perform telephone triage (medical assistants are not legally authorized to interpret data or diagnose symptoms!)

Cannot independently diagnose or treat patients

Cannot independently prescribe medications

Cannot independently give out medication samples

Cannot independently refill prescription requests

Cannot independently do triage

Cannot perform arterial punctures

Cannot inject medications into a vein (most states) unless permitted by state law

Cannot start, flush, or discontinue IV's (most states) unless permitted by state law

Cannot insert urinary catheters

Cannot provide medical treatment, analyze, or interprete test results

Cannot advise patients about their condition, or treatment regimen

Cannot make assessments or perform any kind of medical care decision making

Cannot administer any anesthetic agent (except topical numbing agents such as EMLA cream)

Cannot perform tests that involve the penetration of human tissues except for skin tests and drawing blood as provided by law

Cannot interpret the results of blood or skin tests

Cannot operate LASER equipment

Cannot administer chemotherapy or make an assessment of the patient receiving chemo

Cannot practice physical therapy

Cannot place splints to injured digits or limbs


Of course, as mentioned in the above post, this is followed by the disclaimer.
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Hope this helps those readers that suddenly felt as if they were left in the dark as to what we are discussing under this threat.


Danni

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Admin