Kentucky Physician Collaboration
Find a collaborating physician in Kentucky
GuardianMD matches nurse practitioners and physician assistants with physicians licensed in Kentucky, and supports the agreement and oversight their role requires.
Licensed in Kentucky
Agreements built around state requirements
Get matched
Fast physician matching in Kentucky
Kentucky nurse practitioners need a collaborating physician to prescribe, through agreements called a CAPA-NS for nonscheduled drugs and a CAPA-CS for controlled substances. Experienced APRNs may qualify to end these agreements over time. GuardianMD helps eligible Kentucky NPs find a collaborating physician based on clinical focus, prescribing plans, and experience. Read Kentucky APRN prescriptive authority guidance.
Getting started in Kentucky
Everything your Kentucky practice needs to get started
Getting started in Kentucky involves the applicable CAPA agreement, Board of Nursing notifications, and a collaborating physician in the same or a similar specialty. If you plan to prescribe controlled substances, raise it early, since additional requirements apply. Ask about GuardianMD support organizing onboarding and documentation. Read Kentucky APRN prescriptive authority guidance.
Who we serve
Collaboration for every practice type in Kentucky
We welcome Kentucky NPs preparing to prescribe in a new practice, changing collaborating physicians, or expanding services. Primary care, behavioral health, medical weight management, and other practice interests can be discussed during intake. Eligibility depends on your qualifications, medications, experience, setting, and physician fit. A first-year NP’s plans may need additional review before a proposed arrangement can proceed. Support is available to licensed, eligible NPs who meet GuardianMD requirements. Services may be limited or adjusted by jurisdiction and plan.
How it works
From the first call to ongoing support
Tell us about your practice
Share your license type, service lines, and where you plan to operate in Kentucky
Get matched to a physician
We identify a physician licensed in Kentucky whose specialty aligns with the care you deliver.
Review the agreement
Your agreement is built around state requirements and walked through with you before signing.
Stay supported
Coordinated chart reviews, protocol updates, and physician access continue through the platform.
State Resources
Helpful links to Kentucky’s licensing boards
This reference outlines the essential state medical compliance regulations that guide daily clinical practice and patient care. It serves as a quick-reference tool to help maintain the highest standards of legal and professional compliance.
The resources below link to the state’s official licensing boards.
Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure: https://kbml.ky.gov/
Kentucky Board of Nursing: https://kbn.ky.gov/
Kentucky Board of Pharmacy: https://pharmacy.ky.gov/
Because healthcare regulations are frequently updated, please use this reference as a general guide and always defer to the current mandates of your State Boards of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy.
Common questions
Collaboration in Kentucky
How do I find a collaborating physician in Kentucky?
NPs in Kentucky can find a collaborating physician through a physician collaboration service such as GuardianMD, an employer or health system, or a physician they already know. With GuardianMD, share your specialty, patient population, practice locations, and prescribing plans so we can discuss physician fit. Learn how GuardianMD helps NPs find a collaborating physician.
Do nurse practitioners in Kentucky need a collaborating physician?
Yes, to prescribe, at least initially. Kentucky APRNs need a CAPA-NS to prescribe nonscheduled drugs and a CAPA-CS to prescribe controlled substances, each with a Kentucky-licensed physician in the same or a similar specialty. Read Kentucky APRN prescribing statute, KRS 314.042.
What is the difference between CAPA-NS and CAPA-CS?
In Kentucky, a CAPA-NS covers prescribing nonscheduled or legend medications, while a CAPA-CS covers controlled substances. Each has its own requirements, and ending one does not end the other. Read Kentucky APRN prescriptive authority guidance.
Can Kentucky NPs stop needing a CAPA?
Yes, in some cases. After four years of prescribing under a CAPA-NS, Kentucky APRNs can notify the Board and prescribe nonscheduled drugs without one. APRNs with four years under a CAPA-CS can apply for an exemption, which requires Board approval. Read Kentucky APRN prescriptive authority guidance.
Must a Kentucky collaborating physician have the same specialty?
Kentucky requires a collaborating physician in the same or a similar specialty, meaning the physician’s patient population or conditions treated overlap with the APRN’s practice. Read Kentucky guidance on physician specialty fit.
What should Kentucky NPs know about prescribing controlled substances?
Prescribing controlled substances in Kentucky requires a CAPA-CS along with DEA and KASPER registration. APRNs early in their controlled-substance prescribing also have regular meeting requirements with their collaborating physician. Read Kentucky APRN prescriptive authority guidance.
How does GuardianMD support NPs in Kentucky?
GuardianMD offers eligible Kentucky NPs physician matching, onboarding support, document organization, and ongoing communication with their collaborating physician through DocTalk, depending on the plan. Collaborating physician fees are included in the monthly plan price. The NP and physician remain responsible for clinical decisions.
Last updated: October 25, 2026