Who may authorize a patient disposition?

• A. Registered nurse
• B. Dentist
• C. Physician assistant
• D. Medical service corps officer

Answer: (D)

Disposing of a patient involves deciding where the patient goes next and coordinating the move within the care system. In this setting, the authority to authorize that disposition rests with the Medical Service Corps officer, who handles patient movement, bed management, and discharge planning across the facility. They oversee the administrative side of patient flow and ensure decisions fit policy and resource availability. While a registered nurse, dentist, or physician assistant can assess the patient and recommend a disposition based on clinical status, final authorization for disposition in this framework is the responsibility of the MSC officer.