Wisconsin PA Collaboration Requirements Summary

Yes — every PA in Wisconsin who provides patient care must have a collaborating physician and a written collaborative agreement with that physician. Day-to-day physician involvement is low: the physician does not have to be physically present when the PA sees patients and instead must stay reasonably available by phone or other electronic means within a medically appropriate time frame. Wisconsin does not require the agreement to be filed with the board, sets no chart-review or meeting requirements, and does not limit how many PAs one physician may collaborate with. There is no separate track to fully independent PA practice. This page covers Wisconsin’s rules on the collaborating relationship, the collaborative agreement, board filing, ongoing compliance, prescribing, and specialty and telehealth requirements.

Source: Wis. Stat. § 448.975(2)(a)(1)(b)

Type of Collaborative Relationship

Wisconsin requires PAs to work with a collaborating physician under a written collaborative agreement, but the physician’s day-to-day involvement is low. The physician does not need to be on-site or nearby — the law expressly does not require a physician’s physical presence when a PA provides care — and must instead remain reasonably available for consultation by phone or other electronic means. Wisconsin sets no limit on how many PAs a physician may collaborate with and no experience or specialty requirements for the physician, and there is no hours- or years-based path to practicing without a collaborative agreement.

Source: Wis. Stat. § 448.975(2)(a)(1m)(b), (2)

What is a PA’s scope of practice in Wisconsin?

A PA’s scope of practice is defined in the written collaborative agreement with their collaborating physician. The agreement must describe the PA’s individual scope of practice, plus any other information the board requires.

Do PAs need a collaborating physician in Wisconsin?

Yes. A PA who provides care to patients must maintain a written collaborative agreement with a physician and provide it to the board on request. The statute allows a few narrow exceptions to that requirement.

Can PAs practice independently in Wisconsin?

No — a written collaborative agreement with a physician is required. The relationship is a remote one in practice, though: the physician’s involvement is low and does not include being present where the PA works.

How many PAs can a physician collaborate with in Wisconsin?

There is no limit — Wisconsin’s rules are silent on how many PAs a physician may collaborate with.

Who can be a collaborating physician in Wisconsin?

Any physician — Wisconsin sets no specific requirements for who may serve as a collaborating physician. There is no specialty-match requirement and no minimum years in practice.

Are there proximity or in-person requirements in Wisconsin?

No. The law states that a physician does not have to be physically present at the time and place a PA provides a service. The collaborating physician must instead remain reasonably available through telecommunications or other electronic means within a medically appropriate time frame, and Wisconsin sets no travel or distance requirements.

Collaboration Agreement Requirements

Wisconsin’s written agreement is called a collaborative agreement, and both the PA and the collaborating physician must sign it. It must describe the PA’s individual scope of practice, include a protocol for identifying an alternative collaborating physician when the collaborating physician or their designee is unavailable, state that the physician will remain reasonably available by phone or other electronic means, and set out an arrangement for the physician to consult with the patient within a medically appropriate time frame if the patient or the PA asks for it. Wisconsin does not provide a template and does not set a review or renewal schedule. The PA keeps the agreement and must produce it to the board on request.

Source: Wis. Stat. § 448.975(2)(a)(1), (1m)

What must be included in a PA collaborative agreement in Wisconsin?

The agreement must cover four things: the PA’s individual scope of practice; a protocol for identifying an alternative collaborating physician when the collaborating physician or designee is not available for consultation; a statement that the collaborating physician will remain reasonably available for consultation and referral by phone or other electronic means; and an arrangement for the physician to consult with the patient within a medically appropriate time frame if the patient or the PA requests it. The board may require additional information.

What is the collaborative agreement called in Wisconsin?

A collaborative agreement. Wisconsin does not provide a state template for it.

Who has to sign the collaborative agreement in Wisconsin?

Both the PA and the collaborating physician must sign.

How often must the agreement be reviewed or renewed in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin sets no review or renewal requirement for the agreement.

Is a backup physician required in Wisconsin?

No, but the agreement must include a protocol for identifying an alternative collaborating physician for situations when the collaborating physician or their designee is not available for consultation. The collaborating physician may also designate an alternate collaborator during periods of unavailability.

Board Filing Requirements

Wisconsin does not require the collaborative agreement — or any related document — to be filed with the board. The PA keeps the agreement and provides it to the board on request, and there are no recurring filings and no requirement to notify the board when a collaboration ends. If a collaboration ends unexpectedly, Wisconsin’s rules may allow a PA 120 days or more to keep practicing without a collaborative agreement, depending on the circumstances of the termination and the PA’s experience level.

Source: Wis. Admin. Code PA § 3.04(3)

Do you have to file the collaborative agreement with the board in Wisconsin?

No. Wisconsin requires no filing of the collaborative agreement and no additional documents. The PA must maintain the agreement and provide it to the board if asked.

Can a PA start practicing as soon as they file in Wisconsin?

Not applicable — there is nothing to file, so there is no filing-based waiting period. What a PA needs is a collaborative agreement in place, not board approval of a filing.

What are the termination and notice requirements in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin does not require notice to the board when a collaboration ends. Either the PA or the physician may terminate the agreement itself with at least 30 days’ written notice, or on other terms the two have agreed to. If the agreement ends unexpectedly, state rules may give the PA 120 days or more to continue practicing without a collaborative agreement, depending on how it ended and the PA’s experience level.

Collaboration Compliance

Once a collaborative agreement is in place, Wisconsin sets no ongoing chart review, chart co-signature, meeting, or documentation requirements. The one continuing obligation is availability: the collaborating physician must remain reasonably available to the PA through telecommunications or other electronic means within a medically appropriate time frame, and may designate an alternate collaborator during periods of unavailability. The PA must keep the current collaborative agreement and provide it to the board on request.

Source: Wis. Stat. § 448.975(2)(a)(1m)(b), (2)

How many charts must a collaborating physician review in Wisconsin?

None — Wisconsin sets no chart review requirement and no chart co-signature requirement.

How often must a PA and collaborating physician meet in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin sets no required meeting cadence. The standard is availability rather than scheduled meetings: the physician must be reasonably available for consultation by phone or other electronic means within a medically appropriate time frame.

How long must collaboration records be kept in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin sets no specific retention period for collaboration records. The PA must maintain the collaborative agreement and provide it to the board upon request.

Prescribing Rules

PAs in Wisconsin may prescribe, and the state adds no extra credential or registration on top of standard licensure and federal DEA registration. There is no additional Wisconsin requirement for prescriptive authority, no additional requirement for controlled-substance prescribing, no heightened physician oversight tied to controlled substances, and no special prescription-pad rules. Prescribing must stay within the scope of practice described in the PA’s collaborative agreement.

Can a PA prescribe controlled substances in Wisconsin?

Yes, and Wisconsin adds no state-specific credential or extra requirement beyond standard licensure and federal DEA registration. There is also no heightened physician oversight requirement tied to controlled-substance prescribing. 

Can a PA prescribe Schedule II drugs in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin’s master rules place no schedule-level restriction on PA prescribing.

What schedule drugs can a PA prescribe in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin’s master rules identify no schedule-level limits on PA prescribing.

Does a PA need a DEA license in Wisconsin?

A federal DEA registration is required to prescribe controlled substances, and Wisconsin does not add a separate state controlled-substance registration.

Can a PA prescribe independently (without physician sign-off) in Wisconsin?

Yes — Wisconsin does not require physician sign-off or co-signature on a PA’s prescriptions. Prescribing must still fall within the scope of practice described in the PA’s collaborative agreement, and the collaborating physician must be reasonably available for consultation.

Specialty & Telehealth Requirements

Wisconsin sets no telehealth- or telemedicine-specific requirements for PAs, but it does have a separate set of collaboration rules for PAs who collaborate with a podiatrist. Standard collaboration, agreement, and prescribing rules otherwise apply, and the general availability standard already allows the physician to be reached by phone or other electronic means.

Are there telehealth or telemedicine requirements for PAs in Wisconsin?

No — Wisconsin sets no telehealth- or telemedicine-specific requirements for PAs. The general rules apply, including the requirement that the collaborating physician stay reasonably available electronically.

Are there specialty-specific requirements for PAs in Wisconsin?

Yes — Wisconsin has a separate set of collaboration rules for PAs who collaborate with a podiatrist. No other specialty-specific requirements appear in Wisconsin’s rules.