News Central

The alleys between the mess hall’s long, brown tables constitute an ideal site to practice carrying stretchers for when they’d be most needed in the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle’s narrow corridors. The elegant wardroom, with a display case that includes a strip of the cutter’s original sail, would be utilized as a triage center if disaster strikes. First-aid training of staff is conducted almost anywhere on board.

What has AAPA done for PAs lately? It’s a question that we sometimes hear or see posted on social media. With the myriad of things competing for your dollars, from mortgages to college tuition, we’d like to take this opportunity to share how your membership dues are being spent wisely, and providing a great ROI for you and the profession.

Following natural and man-made disasters, PAs have the medical expertise and the willingness to provide care to affected populations, and their skills were particularly needed last year after hurricanes hit Houston, Florida, and Puerto Rico in succession. PAs can go to a disaster site as part of a nonprofit relief effort…or, they can apply to join one of the federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs), the State Medical Assistance Teams (SMATs) or the U.S. Public Health Service.

Although PA Bob Cummings was competent and qualified to see his patients following the physician’s death, Wyoming rules state that PAs shall not practice in any capacity if, for any reason, the supervising physician is not available to properly supervise the PA.

Since 2014, the Touro Mobile HealthCare Clinic has been addressing the critical healthcare needs of Las Vegas Valley’s homeless populations. Serving as an extension of the Touro Medical Center, university faculty supervise students as they provide wellness services, vaccinations, and diagnosis and treatment of common family diseases and minor wounds.

Electronic health record (EHR) systems have been a challenge for many healthcare professionals in terms of systems not being user-friendly, a lack of interoperability and the concern that the patient-clinician relationship is being compromised as health professionals spend more time looking at computer screens and less time interacting with patients. However, EHRs have the ability to coordinate care for individuals, improve health for populations, increase efficiency, and reduce healthcare costs.

AAPA’s Center for Healthcare Leadership & Management (CHLM) identified five key drivers as criteria for its Employer of Excellence Awards. To help employers attract and retain PAs and improve their bottom line, CHLM explores employer practices that contribute to an ideal PA workplace. This article examines how one organization seeks PA input to facilitate positive organizational change.

PAs can be influential in convincing adult patients, particularly those ages 65 and above, to get a flu vaccine. With the CDC naming Dec. 3-9, 2017, as National Influenza Vaccination Week, it is timely and important to talk to patients about the dangers of flu and strategies for prevention.