New federal overtime regulations postponed (again)

Federal regulations to double the minimum salary requirement for exempt professionals are on hold for the third time since being suspended just days before their expected enactment on December 1, 2016. The Department of Labor (DOL) recently requested an extension for submitting its reply brief to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on its overtime rule, which would raise the minimum salary level defining professionals from $23,660 to $47,476.

May 3, 2017

PAs Providing Care at the Bottom of the World

PA Cliff Leonard is among the PAs who’ve traveled to the bottom of the world over the past decade to provide care to the researchers at the South Pole through the Center for Polar Medical Operations (CPMO). Part of the National Science Foundation’s U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP), the center is operated by the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston.

May 1, 2017

Illinois Senate approves 10-year extension of Illinois PA Practice Act

Despite significant interference by the National Commission on Certification of PAs (NCCPA) that put PA practice at risk in the state, the Illinois State Senate unanimously approved a 10-year extension of the Illinois PA Practice Act, which reflects the collaborative nature of PA practice and improves PA billing and ratio requirements.

April 28, 2017

New Mexico PAs celebrate enactment of collaboration bill

New Mexico PAs will have greater autonomy due to the enactment of H.B. 215, which was signed into law by Gov. Susana Martinez on April 6, 2017. The legislation was the product of months of negotiations among the New Mexico Academy of PAs, the New Mexico Medical Board, the New Mexico Medical Society, and the Greater Albuquerque Medical Association. The bill, which goes into effect on June 6, 2017, makes several changes to PA practice in the state.

April 18, 2017

Utah repeals chart co-signature requirement from state law

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert recently signed SB 162 repealing the state’s requirement for PAs to have all chart entries that contain a Schedule II or III prescription co-signed by a physician. This bill is the result of the outstanding advocacy work of the Utah Academy of PAs (UAPA) who championed the bill as their legislative priority for 2017.

April 6, 2017

New Mississippi laws use PAs to combat the opioid epidemic

PAs in Mississippi will have greater impact on combating the opioid epidemic in their state as a result of two new laws enacted in mid-March: H.B. 996 and H.B. 1032. Like many states, Mississippi is working to address increased abuse of prescription opioids and heroin.

April 3, 2017

PAs: The perfect bridge between medical and mental health

PAs, like Tracy Keizer, are the perfect bridge between medical and mental health. She practices in the 100-bed adult psychiatry unit of the Regions Behavioral Health System in St. Paul, Minn. Regions is a safety-net hospital providing care for patients with limited or no access to healthcare because of financial circumstances, insurance status or health conditions.

April 3, 2017

Lifehacks for PAs

In today’s fast-moving, constantly connected, 24/7 world, maintaining a healthy balance among work, family, and taking care of ourselves can be a challenge. The first step in achieving this balance is to be mindful and deliberate about it.

March 30, 2017

PA turns transplant team service into model of care

Since accepting a position in the transplant surgery service at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) in Seattle, PA Monica Morrison has transformed the transplant team’s PA service into a model for other departments within the facility.

March 28, 2017

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