Rules, opinions and compliance
- many questions may be answered by a careful review of the rules that govern collaborative practices.
- also see Board opinions concerning physician extenders.
- the Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Association of the State of Alabama present periodic seminars on ensuring quality in the collaborative practice. All current and prospective collaborating physicians are advised to complete this course.
- a courtesy collaborative practice inspection may be scheduled with one of the Board's Collaborative Practice Inspectors, Ms. Pat Enfinger or Ms. Cheryl Thomas
- for information about applying for approval of a collaborative practice agreement, see collaborative practice registration application
Frequently asked questions
Q: How many CRNPs may a physician supervise?
A: The determination is not made on the number of people. The Board limits a physician to supervising a total of 120 "full time equivalent" (FTE) hours per week of mid-level practitioners. The county and state health departments are exempt from this rule. Please contact our office if you have further questions about this issue.
Q: How much time is a physician required to spend with a nurse practitioner?
A: Generally, not less than 10% of the nurse practitioner’s scheduled hours in the collaborative practice. A pre-approved covering physician may be present in lieu of the collaborating physician. In addition, the physician is usually required to visit each approved practice site on at least a quarterly basis. The county and state health departments are exempt from this rule.
Q: Can nurse practitioners prescribe medicines?
A: The legend drugs a nurse practitioner is authorized to dispense or prescribe are specified in the collaboration agreement. Currently, nurse practitioners are not authorized to prescribe or dispense controlled substances in Alabama.
Q: Can a physician with a restricted license collaborate with a nurse practitioner?
A: No, a collaborating physician's Alabama medical license must be current and unrestricted.
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