R432-150-16. Physician Services

  (1) A physician must personally approve in writing a recommendation that an individual be admitted to a nursing care facility.

  (a) Each resident must remain under the care of a physician licensed in Utah to deliver the scope of services required by the resident.

  (b) Nurse practitioners or physician assistants, working under the direction of a licensed physician may initiate admission to a nursing care facility pending personal review by the physician.

  (2) The facility must provide supervision to ensure that the medical care of each resident is supervised by a physician. When a resident's attending physician is unavailable, another qualified physician must supervise the medical care of the resident.

  (3) The physician must:

  (a) review the resident's total program of care, including medications and treatments, at each visit;

  (b) write, sign, and date progress notes at each visit;

  (c) indicate, in writing, direction and supervision of health care provided to residents by nurse practitioners or physician assistants; and

  (d) sign all orders.

  (4) Physician visits must conform to the following:

  (a) The physician shall notify the facility of the name of the nurse practitioner or physician assistant who is providing care to the resident at the facility.

  (b) Each resident must be seen by a physician at least once every 30 days for the first 90 days after admission, and at least every 60 days thereafter.

  (c) Physician visits must be completed within ten days of the date the visit is required.

  (d) Except as required by R432-150-16(4)(e), all required physician visits must be made by the physician.

  (e) At the option of the physician, required visits after the initial visit may alternate between personal visits by the physician and visits by a physician assistant or nurse practitioner.

  (5) The facility must provide or arrange for the provision of physician services 24 hours a day in case of an emergency.