What is an agency relationship?

• A. A contract where the PA independently owns medical devices.
• B. Legal and professional arrangement where the PA acts on behalf of a supervising physician with their consent, acting under the physician's control and authority.
• C. A casual teamwork arrangement with no formal oversight.
• D. A patient-PA relationship with patient consent.

Answer: (B)

An agency relationship in healthcare is when a physician assistant acts on behalf of a supervising physician with the physician’s consent and under the physician’s control and authority. This means the physician delegates certain tasks and responsibilities to the PA, who then carries them out within defined protocols and scope. The supervising physician remains ultimately responsible for the patient’s care and provides direction, oversight, and accountability for the PA’s actions.

Ownership of medical devices or a casual, oversight-free teamwork arrangement aren’t what define this relationship. Likewise, simply having patient consent does not establish agency; the defining feature is that the PA’s actions are conducted under the supervising physician’s control and authority with proper consent to that delegation.