Governor Expands Treatment Authority for PAs, NPs

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed a bill giving nurse practitioners and physician associates the same treatment authority in the workers' compensation system as physicians and surgeons. Kotek on Tuesday signed HB 4040, which expands the definition of "attending physician" to include nurse practitioners and physician associates. Attending physicians provide direct care and create treatment plans for injured workers. They also determine whether a person is too injured to work and authorize time off, determine the date that a worker reaches maximum medical improvement, define function...