Hire a Medical Director & Collaborating Physician in Ann Arbor, MI

Under MCL 333.17211a, Michigan NPs can prescribe nonscheduled drugs without physician involvement, while Schedule 2 to 5 controlled substances require physician delegation. Board of Medicine rule R 338.119 requires a written authorization listing both providers’ names, license numbers, and signatures, any limits, and the effective date. Every controlled-substance prescription carries both the NP’s and the physician’s names and DEA numbers, and the physician updates the authorization every year.

Under MCL 333.17047 and its osteopathic counterpart, MCL 333.17547, a Michigan PA can’t practice without a practice agreement with a participating physician. The agreement sets how the PA and physician communicate and make decisions, names an alternate physician for consultation, and requires the physician to verify the PA’s credentials. Either side can end it with at least 30 days’ written notice.

MCL 333.16215 lets a physician delegate tasks within their scope to a licensed or unlicensed person qualified by education, training, or experience, under the physician’s supervision. Tasks that require a physician’s own skill and judgment can’t be delegated. For your medspa, that means written protocols naming who performs Botox, fillers, laser, and microneedling, with documented training for each provider.

Your medical director doesn’t have to work on site, since MCL 333.16109 defines supervision as continuous availability for direct communication, regular practice review, and written procedures and drug protocols. For virtual visits, MCL 333.16284 requires patient consent before treatment. MCL 333.16285 lets providers prescribe within their scope via telehealth, holds controlled substances to in-person rules, and requires the prescriber to stay available for follow-up care.

Every prescriber must register with MAPS, Michigan’s prescription monitoring system, before prescribing controlled substances. Under MCL 333.7303a, the prescriber also reviews the patient’s MAPS report before prescribing more than a three-day supply of any Schedule 2 to 5 drug. Your NP needs a DEA registration and a Michigan controlled substance license, along with the physician’s written authorization.

Every Medical Director Co. placement includes malpractice coverage for the physician’s oversight role. NPs, PAs, and clinic owners should still confirm their own policies cover the delegated services they perform.

House Bill 4399 would let Michigan NPs practice and prescribe without a physician agreement once they meet the bill’s requirements. The House Health Policy Committee advanced an amended version in November 2025, and the bill had not become law at the time of writing. The current delegation rules still apply, and we’ll update your agreements if the law changes.