What must the supervising physician actually do in Montana?

The rest of what Montana says on this

Every other rule we have verified under physician supervision & delegation, each linked to its primary source.

• "Practice of medicine" means the diagnosis, treatment, or correction of or the attempt to or the holding of oneself out as being able to diagnose, treat, or correct human conditions, ailments, diseases, injuries, or infirmities, whether physical or mental, by any means, methods, devices, or instrumentalities, including electronic and technological means such as telemedicine. If a person who does not possess a license to practice medicine in this state under this chapter and who is not exempt from the licensing requirements of this chapter performs acts constituting the practice of medicine, the person is practicing medicine in violation of this chapter.

  Mont. Code Ann. § 37-3-102(11) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• The board shall adopt guidelines by administrative rule for: (a) the performance of administrative and clinical tasks by a medical assistant that are allowed to be delegated by a physician, physician assistant, or podiatrist, including the administration of medications; and (b) the level of physician, physician assistant, or podiatrist supervision required for a medical assistant when performing specified administrative and clinical tasks delegated by a physician, physician assistant, or podiatrist. However, the board shall adopt a rule requiring onsite supervision of a medical assistant by a physician, physician assistant, or podiatrist for invasive procedures, administration of medication, or allergy testing.

  Mont. Code Ann. § 37-3-104(1) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• The physician, physician assistant, or podiatrist who is supervising the medical assistant is responsible for: (a) ensuring that the medical assistant is competent to perform clinical tasks and meets the requirements of the guidelines; (b) ensuring that the performance of the clinical tasks by the medical assistant is in accordance with the board's guidelines and good medical practice; and (c) ensuring minimum educational requirements for the medical assistant.

  Mont. Code Ann. § 37-3-104(2) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• (i) the rendering of nursing services by registered or other nurses in the lawful discharge of their duties as nurses or of midwife services by registered nurse-midwives under the conditions and limitations defined by law; (j) the rendering of services by a surgical or medical technician or medical assistant, as provided in 37-3-104 , under the appropriate amount and type of supervision of a person licensed under the laws of this state to practice medicine, but this exemption does not extend the scope of the individuals listed in this subsection (1)(j);

  Mont. Code Ann. § 37-3-103(1)(i)-(j) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• Health care providers shall not delegate to medical assistants: (a) medical tasks which are outside the delegating health care provider's scope of practice; (b) medical tasks which the delegating health care provider is not authorized to perform; (c) surgery as defined in ARM 24.156.403 ; (d) medical tasks which the medical assistant is not qualified by education, training, knowledge, and skill to perform in keeping with the standard of medical care owed by the delegating health care provider to the patient;

  Mont. Admin. R. 24.156.401(4)(a)-(d) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• "Supervision" may be of the following types: (i) "Direct supervision" means the supervisor is physically present with the person being supervised; (ii) "On-site supervision" means the supervisor must be in the facility and quickly available to the person being supervised. (o) "Surgery" means any procedure in which human tissue is cut or altered by mechanical or energy forms, including electrical or laser energy or ionizing radiation.

  Mont. Admin. R. 24.156.403(1)(n)-(o) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• It is unprofessional conduct for a licensee or applicant to violate any statute, rule, or standard of care governing their scope of practice. failure to supervise, appropriately direct, or train individuals under the licensee's supervision according to applicable law, rule, or standards;

  Mont. Admin. R. 24.156.405(1), (2)(i) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• (j) nursing tasks delegated by licensed nurses to unlicensed persons according to rules adopted by the board;

  Mont. Code Ann. § 37-8-103(1)(j) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• Delegation of a nursing task to an AP shall be based solely on the determination of the patient's nurse, who has personally assessed the patient's condition, so that delegation can be performed without jeopardizing the patient's welfare. (4) The nursing task to be delegated must be within the area of responsibility, scope of practice, and competency of the nurse delegating the task. (5) The LPN or RN shall delegate to another only those nursing tasks for which that person has the necessary skills and competence to accomplish safely. In maintaining accountability for the delegation, the LPN or RN shall ensure: (a) that the AP has the education and demonstrated competency to perform the delegated task; (b) the task delegated is consistent with the AP's job description; (c) patient needs match the AP's qualifications, available resources, and appropriate supervision; (d) results of the task are reasonably predictable; (e) the task does not require clinical reasoning, nursing judgment, or critical decision making;

  Mont. Admin. R. 24.159.1611(3)-(5)(e) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• "Medical director" means a physician or physician assistant who holds a current unrestricted Montana license and is professionally and legally responsible for training, providing medical direction, and oversight of licensed ECPs under the medical director's supervision. That is the only medical director defined anywhere in Title 37, chapter 3 of the Montana Code Annotated or in the Board of Medical Examiners’ rules in Title 24, chapter 156 of the Administrative Rules of Montana, and it concerns emergency care providers; neither the chapter nor the rules requires a medical spa or any other office practice to designate a medical director.

  Mont. Admin. R. 24.156.403(1)(h) (Title 37, ch. 3 and ARM Title 24, ch. 156 surveyed) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• "Esthetics" means skin care of the body, including but not limited to hot compresses or the use of safety-approved electrical appliances or chemical compounds formulated for professional application only and the temporary removal of superfluous hair by means of lotions, creams, or mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliances on another person.

  Mont. Code Ann. § 37-31-101(14) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• The provisions of this chapter do not prohibit: (1) service in case of emergency or domestic administration without compensation; (2) services by persons authorized under the laws of this state to practice dentistry, the healing arts, or mortuary science;

  Mont. Code Ann. § 37-31-102(1)-(2) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• "Exfoliation" means the sloughing off of nonliving (dead) skin cells by noninvasive means. "Microdermabrasion" means a gentle, progressive, and noninvasive mechanical exfoliation of the stratum corneum using a closed-loop vacuum system. "Noninvasive" means superficial procedures confined to the nonliving cells of the epidermis, specifically the stratum corneum layer, and through which living cells beneath the stratum corneum are never altered, cut, or scarred.

  Mont. Admin. R. 24.121.301(8), (12), (15) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• In addition to the provisions of 37-1-316 , MCA, it is unprofessional conduct for board licensees to: (a) violate a federal, state, or local law or rule relating to the conduct of the profession; (b) fail to cooperate with or respond to a department request or investigation; (c) fail to report an incident of unsafe practice or unethical conduct of another licensee to the licensing authority; (d) perform services or use machines or devices that are outside of the licensee's scope of practice;

  Mont. Admin. R. 24.121.2310(1)(a)-(d) · verified Sep 8, 2026

• The board shall adopt guidelines by administrative rule for the level of physician, physician assistant, or podiatrist supervision required for a medical assistant performing delegated tasks, and shall adopt a rule requiring onsite supervision of a medical assistant by a physician, physician assistant, or podiatrist for invasive procedures, administration of medication, or allergy testing.

  Mont. Code Ann. § 37-3-104(1)(b) · verified Sep 8, 2026

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