Chapter 30, Chapter 30

In order to strengthen access to medical services, and in recognition of the advances in the delivery of medical services, the participating states of the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact have allied in common purpose to develop a comprehensive process that complements the e…

As used in this section: (1) “Boards” means the West Virginia Board of Medicine; the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine, the West Virginia Board of Optometry, West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy, West Virginia Board of Chiropractic, West Virginia Board of Dentistry a…

For the purposes of this article, the words or terms defined in this section have the meanings ascribed to them. These definitions are applicable unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context. “Accepted guideline” is a care or practice guideline for pain management …

(a) Oversight. (1) The executive and judicial branches of state government in each participating state shall enforce this compact and take all actions necessary and appropriate to implement the compact. (2) Venue is proper and judicial proceedings by or against the commission sha…

If the board has any reason to believe that any person is violating this article or any rule promulgated under this article, and in addition to the complaint, investigation, and hearing processes set forth herein and in §30-3-1 et seq. of this code, the board or the Attorney Gene…

(a) License to Practice Allopathic Medicine and Surgery. – Graduates of approved medical schools located in the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico. The board may grant a license to practice allopathic medicine and surgery to an applicant who has graduated and received the degr…

(a) Before a licensed physician assistant may practice in collaboration with physicians, the physician assistant and a health care facility shall: (1) File a practice notification with the appropriate licensing board; (2) Pay the applicable fee; and (3) Receive written notice fro…

(a) There is hereby established a special volunteer medical license for physicians retired or retiring from the active practice of medicine who wish to donate their expertise for the medical care and treatment of indigent and needy patients in the clinical setting of clinics orga…

(a) The special license types set forth in this section may be issued by the board without examination. "Without examination" means that the board may not require an applicant to sit for the USMLE or any prior examination or examination series approved by the board to be eligible…

(a) This compact shall come into effect on the date on which this compact statute is enacted into law in the seventh participating state. (1) On or after the effective date of the compact, the commission shall convene and review the enactment of each of the states that enacted th…

(a) A health care facility shall report, in writing, to the board within 60 days after the completion of the facility's formal disciplinary procedure or after the commencement and conclusion of any resulting legal action against a licensee. (b) The report shall include: (1) The n…

(a) Unless otherwise prohibited by a health care facility, a physician who practices medicine or podiatry at a health care facility may collaborate with any physician assistant who holds an active practice notification with the same facility. (b) When collaborating with physician…

(a) This compact and the commission’s rulemaking authority shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes, and the implementation and administration of the compact. Provisions of the compact expressly authorizing or requiring the promulgation of rules shall not be …

(a) A license issued to a physician assistant by the appropriate state licensing board shall authorize the physician assistant to perform medical acts commensurate with their education, training, and experience and which they are competent to perform, consistent with the rules of…

(a) A license to practice medicine and surgery or podiatry in this state is valid for a term of two years. (b) The license shall be renewed: (1) Upon receipt of a reasonable fee, as set by the board; (2) Submission of an application on forms provided by the board; and (3) A certi…

It is unlawful for any genetic counselor or ACS permittee to represent to any person that he or she is a licensed physician. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less th…

(a) A physician assistant may provide an authorized signature, certification, stamp, verification, affidavit or endorsement on documents within the scope of their practice, including, but not limited to, the following documents: (1) Death certificates: Provided, That the physicia…

(a) In acknowledgement of the important service physicians, podiatric physicians, and physician assistants provide to the citizens of West Virginia, the board may issue, without a fee, an emeritus license to a provider who holds a current, valid license issued by the board, who h…

(a) Nothing herein prevents the enforcement of any other law of a participating state that is not inconsistent with this compact. (b) Any laws in a participating state in conflict with this compact are superseded to the extent of the conflict. (c) All agreements between the commi…

(a) While practicing, a physician assistant shall wear a name tag that identifies him or her as a physician assistant. (b) A physician assistant shall keep his or her license and current practice notification available for inspection at his or her place of practice.

(a) It is unlawful for any person who does not hold an active, unexpired license issued pursuant to this article, or who is not practicing pursuant to the licensure exceptions set forth in this section, to: (1) Engage in the practice of medicine and surgery or podiatry in this st…

(a) Definitions. – For the purposes of this section: (1) “Chronic nonmalignant pain” means pain that has persisted after reasonable medical efforts have been made to relieve the pain or cure its cause and that has continued, either continuously or episodically, for longer than th…

(a) (1) The board may independently initiate disciplinary proceedings as well as initiate disciplinary proceedings based on information received from medical peer review committees, physicians, podiatrists, hospital administrators, professional societies, the Board of Pharmacy, a…

(a) A special volunteer physician assistant license may be issued to a physician assistant who: (1) Is retired or is retiring from the active practice of medicine; and (2) Wishes to donate his or her expertise for the medical care and treatment of indigent and needy patients in t…

(a) Unlawful acts. — It is unlawful for any corporation to practice or offer to practice medicine, surgery, podiatric medicine, or to perform medical acts through one or more physician assistants in this state without a certificate of authorization issued by the board designating…

(a) The appropriate licensing board may grant a summer camp or volunteer endorsement to provide services at a children’s summer camp or volunteer services for a public or community event to a physician assistant who: (1) Is currently licensed by the appropriate licensing board; (…

(a) The appropriate licensing board may grant a summer camp or volunteer endorsement to provide services at a children’s summer camp or volunteer services for a public or community event to a physician assistant licensed from another jurisdiction who: (1) Is currently licensed in…

(a) Beginning July 1, 2019, no person shall participate in a program of graduate medical training in this state unless such person holds a license to practice medicine and surgery in this state or has been issued an educational permit issued by the board. (b) An educational permi…

(a) All hearings and procedures related to denial of a license, and all complaints, investigations, hearings, and procedures regarding a physician assistant license and the discipline accorded thereto, shall be in accordance with the processes and procedures set forth in either §…

The practice of medicine and surgery by persons possessing the degree of doctor of osteopathy and authorized by the laws of this state to practice medicine and surgery shall in no way be affected by the provisions of this article.

(a) A health care facility shall report, in writing, to the appropriate licensing board within sixty days after the completion of the facility's formal disciplinary procedure or after the commencement and conclusion of any resulting legal action against a licensee. (b) The report…

The West Virginia Board of Medicine may employ investigators, attorneys, clerks and administrative staff in collaboration with the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine to share duties and functions between the two boards when it may be efficient and practical for the funct…

It is unlawful for any physician assistant to represent to any person that he or she is a physician, surgeon or podiatrist. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less tha…

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the board may allow, consistent with this section, an investigator employed or contracted by the board to carry a concealed firearm while performing his or her official duties. (b) An investigator employed by the boa…

(a) A prescriber is not subject to disciplinary sanctions by a licensing board or criminal punishment by the state for prescribing, administering, or dispensing pain-relieving controlled substances for the purpose of alleviating or controlling pain if: (1) In the case of a dying …

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person providing information to any review organization shall be held, by reason of having provided such information, to be civilly liable under any law, unless: (1) Such information is unrelated to the performance of the duties …

In addition to the powers and duties set forth in this code for the boards, the boards shall: (1) Establish the requirements for licenses and temporary licenses pursuant to this article; (2) Establish the procedures for submitting, approving, and rejecting applications for licens…

In this compact: (a) "Adverse action" means any administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted by a state’s laws which is imposed by a licensing board or other authority against a physician assistant license or license application or compact Privilege such as lice…

The purpose of this article is to provide for the licensure and professional discipline of physicians and podiatrists and for the licensure and professional discipline of physician assistants and to provide a professional environment that encourages the delivery of quality medica…

(a) A person or a legal representative of a person may seek care outside of an insurance plan, or outside of the Medicaid or Medicare program, and pay for the care. (b) A medical care provider may accept payment for medical services or medical products outside of an insurance pla…

(a) The boards are authorized to designate one or more physician health programs. To be eligible for designation by the boards, a physician health program shall: (1) Agree to make their services available to all licensed West Virginia physicians, podiatrists and physicians' assis…

As used in this article: "ABGC" means the American Board of Genetic Counseling, or any successor organization recognized as an equivalent organization by the board. "ABMG" means the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics, or any successor organization recognized as an eq…

(a) For the purposes of this section: "Gender" means the psychological, behavioral, social, and cultural aspects of being male or female. "Gender altering medication" means the prescribing or administering of the following for the purpose of assisting an individual with a gender …

(a) For the purposes of this section: "Gender" means the psychological, behavioral, social, and cultural aspects of being male or female. "Gender altering medication" means the prescribing or administering of the following for the purpose of assisting an individual with a gender …

(a) To participate in this compact, a participating state shall: (1) License physician assistants. (2) Participate in the compact commission’s data system. (3) Have a mechanism in place for receiving and investigating complaints against licensees and license applicants. (4) Notif…

(a) Any document prepared by or on behalf of a health care provider for the purpose of improving the quality, delivery, or efficiency of health care or for the purpose of credentialing or reviewing health care providers is confidential and privileged and shall not be subject to d…

The West Virginia Board of Medicine and the West Virginia Board of Osteopathy have the sole discretion to designate physician health programs for licensees of the respective boards and no provision of this article may be construed to entitle any physician, podiatrist or physician…

(a) The boards shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code to implement the provisions of this article, including: (1) The extent to which physician assistants may practice in this state; (2) The extent to which …

(a) Effective July 1, 2026, and except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a person may not engage, or offer to engage, in the practice of genetic counseling to patients in this state without a current, valid license issued by the board. (b) The licensure requirement s…

(a) Nothing in this article shall prohibit disciplinary action or criminal prosecution of a prescriber for: (1) Failing to maintain complete, accurate, and current records documenting the physical examination and medical history of the patient, the basis for the clinical diagnosi…