Recent Board Actions

July 30, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

During our recent AAPA Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting, we took action on two important initiatives for the PA profession that I want to share with you.

Title Change Investigation
The Board approved a preliminary project plan and funding to support an independent investigation of the physician assistant title and potential alternatives. This action was in response to the May 2018 House of Delegates Resolution requesting “that the Board of Directors contract with an appropriate independent consulting/research firm(s) to investigate state/federal, financial, political, branding aspects, and alternatives to the creation of a new professional title for physician assistants that accurately reflects AAPA professional practice policies . . . “ Based on a preliminary project plan developed by an external marketing expert, the BOD designated an initial investment of up to $1 million for the Title Change Investigation. Work is currently underway to identify the expert firm(s) to deliver an extensively researched and wholly unbiased report, in alignment with the HOD resolution.

The BOD also approved the establishment of a Title Change Investigation Advisory Council. This Advisory Council will serve as a resource to the independent firm(s) conducting the investigation and will include, among others, representatives from PAEA, ARC-PA and NCCPA.

Pursuit of PA Modernization Acts in States
The Board also approved funding to support state chapters’ lobbying and communications efforts associated with the implementation of Optimal Team Practice (OTP), as well as The Six Key Elements of a Modern PA Practice Act, both of which are reflected in AAPA’s Guidelines for State Regulation of PAs.

Recognizing that our state chapters know what is best for their legislative environment, the Board wants to ensure that access to critical communications and lobbying expertise does not become a barrier to achieving PA-positive legislative outcomes. The BOD also recognizes that continuing to raise the public profile of the profession via targeted advertising opportunities is an essential component of our overall strategy. Consequently, the BOD designated $300,000 for state communication efforts supporting OTP, $200,000 for state-targeted advertising opportunities to support OTP efforts, and $100,000 for state communication and lobbying efforts to support implementation of our original Six Key Elements of a Modern PA Practice Act.

I am proud of the collaborative work the Board undertook at its meeting. We are at a critical crossroad for the profession and the strategic direction illustrated by the Board’s actions will continue our forward momentum.

I am honored to serve my fellow PAs this year as President and Chair of the Board and welcome your thoughts and ideas. Please feel free to email me at [email protected] at any time.

Sincerely,

Jonathan E. Sobel, MBA, PA-C, DFAAPA, FAPACVS
AAPA President and Chair of the Board