Reader Question: Salaried PAs

Question: We have a problem at our facility regarding our salaried PAs (physician assistants). They work in outlying clinics and often refer patients to our hospital for diagnostic testing that cant be performed in the clinic. Can we use the PAs name for the referring or attending information or must we use the supervising physician information? Could we use the PAs name but the physicians number?

Jan Weins, RHIA
East Texas Medical Center, Athens, Texas

Answer: What you do in this case depends on how the PA is listed on the hospital cost report. The safest method is to have a countersignature from the attending physician. Make sure you discuss the process with the radiology and laboratory departments and institute a written policy that is on file in both the clinics and the labs. (You can obtain regulations concerning PAs from your state medical society.) These policies might clarify concerns and explain the need for the extra signature or documentation, a possible compliance issue.


- Published on 2001-05-01