ventana

Sorry. Massachusetts. Their is a few PA doing almost all the heavy lifting on this. The least you can do is skip going to dinner one night and send them the $100 you saved. doing nothing else then this once a year would be a huge boost to the state PA groups!!!

MAPA Applauds State Emergency Orders Allowing Physician Assistants to Practice at Top of License During COVID-19 public health emergency, PAs no longer need to practice with “supervising physician”; can authorize mental health admission or restraint On Friday, January 14th, Governor Baker announced a series of emergency actions to address hospital staffing concerns, as the Omicron variant again floods Massachusetts’ emergency departments. The Department of Public Health (DPH) issue COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order No. 2022-02, which “in order to maximize health care provider availability and to respond to increased healthcare needs during the public health emergency” allows PAs in good standing to practice without designating a supervising physician, or signing new prescriptive practice or scope of practice guidelines. This Emergency Order builds upon a March 2020 DPH Executive Order issued at the very start of the pandemic which gave PAs the flexibility to practice in different capacities without filing a new supervising physician with the state each time. This Order was in place until the end of the state of emergency in July 2021, and during this time allowed PAs to step in and fill critical gaps in care - for both COVID and non-COVID patients in clinics, vaccination centers, emergency departments, field hospitals, COVID floors, and ICUs. During the time this order was in place, there were no reported instances of harm or negative outcomes that have come from this emergency order. Instead, it increased access to care in every medical facility across the Commonwealth, filling critical patient care and staffing gaps across hospitals and other care settings. Also on Friday, the Department of Mental Health issued a Bulletin #22-02 under the Division of Clinical and Professional Services Licencing. The Order grants qualified physician assistants the same authority as qualified physicians and advanced practice registered nurses to provide services pursuant to M.G.L. c. 123, §§. 4, 11, 12 and 21. This includes performing mental health evaluations, and involuntarily restraining or committing someone if they are deemed to be a risk for themselves or others. These changes will reduce regulatory red tape currently slowing down patient behavioral health care - a need which has increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, these changes will allow PAs to help hospitals ensure that they quickly move patients who need care out of the EDs. In speaking to the need for these Orders, DPH Secretary MaryLou Sudders stated “Our healthcare system continues to experience significant workforce and capacity constraints due to longer than average hospital stays, separate and apart from the challenges brought on by COVID. Working closely with our hospital leaders, these additional actions by DPH will allow for flexibility to preserve our hospital capacity in the coming weeks.” In a statement released with the executive orders, DPH said that the state’s healthcare system faces a critical staffing shortage that’s been a factor in the loss of about 700 medical/surgical and ICU hospital beds. “We are grateful to Governor Baker, Secretary Sudders, and our public health leaders for realizing the critical need to remove artificial barriers to allow PAs to practice at the top of their license. These Emergency Orders will give PAs the ability to fill gaps in areas in which they are already qualified, helping to alleviate hospital overcrowding and staffing shortages,” said Josh Merson, MAPA’s legislative chair. “During the time in which the previous executive order was in place, patient care improved and PAs were utilized at the top of their licenses in the areas of greatest need. We firmly believe that the changes made Friday via emergency order are common sense reforms that should ultimately be put into statute. PAs are critical to filling sweeping staffing gaps across hospitals and other care settings. The Emergency Order has enabled PAs to pivot to vaccination clinics, COVID treatment wards, and antibody testing clinics - all critically necessary as we seek to emerge from this pandemic successfully, and prevent subsequent ones. MAPA is grateful for the support of DPH and DMH in issuing these emergency orders and looks forward to working with the legislature to make these changes permanent through the passage of S.740/H.2229, currently before the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing.

MAPA Applauds State Emergency Orders Allowing Physician Assistants to Practice at Top of License During COVID-19 public health emergency, PAs no longer need to practice with “supervising physician”; can authorize mental health admission or restraint On Friday, January 14th, Governor Baker announced a series of emergency actions to address hospital staffing concerns, as the Omicron variant again floods Massachusetts’ emergency departments. The Department of Public Health (DPH) issue COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order No. 2022-02, which “in order to maximize health care provider availability and to respond to increased healthcare needs during the public health emergency” allows PAs in good standing to practice without designating a supervising physician, or signing new prescriptive practice or scope of practice guidelines. This Emergency Order builds upon a March 2020 DPH Executive Order issued at the very start of the pandemic which gave PAs the flexibility to practice in different capacities without filing a new supervising physician with the state each time. This Order was in place until the end of the state of emergency in July 2021, and during this time allowed PAs to step in and fill critical gaps in care - for both COVID and non-COVID patients in clinics, vaccination centers, emergency departments, field hospitals, COVID floors, and ICUs. During the time this order was in place, there were no reported instances of harm or negative outcomes that have come from this emergency order. Instead, it increased access to care in every medical facility across the Commonwealth, filling critical patient care and staffing gaps across hospitals and other care settings. Also on Friday, the Department of Mental Health issued a Bulletin #22-02 under the Division of Clinical and Professional Services Licencing. The Order grants qualified physician assistants the same authority as qualified physicians and advanced practice registered nurses to provide services pursuant to M.G.L. c. 123, §§. 4, 11, 12 and 21. This includes performing mental health evaluations, and involuntarily restraining or committing someone if they are deemed to be a risk for themselves or others. These changes will reduce regulatory red tape currently slowing down patient behavioral health care - a need which has increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, these changes will allow PAs to help hospitals ensure that they quickly move patients who need care out of the EDs. In speaking to the need for these Orders, DPH Secretary MaryLou Sudders stated “Our healthcare system continues to experience significant workforce and capacity constraints due to longer than average hospital stays, separate and apart from the challenges brought on by COVID. Working closely with our hospital leaders, these additional actions by DPH will allow for flexibility to preserve our hospital capacity in the coming weeks.” In a statement released with the executive orders, DPH said that the state’s healthcare system faces a critical staffing shortage that’s been a factor in the loss of about 700 medical/surgical and ICU hospital beds. “We are grateful to Governor Baker, Secretary Sudders, and our public health leaders for realizing the critical need to remove artificial barriers to allow PAs to practice at the top of their license. These Emergency Orders will give PAs the ability to fill gaps in areas in which they are already qualified, helping to alleviate hospital overcrowding and staffing shortages,” said Josh Merson, MAPA’s legislative chair. “During the time in which the previous executive order was in place, patient care improved and PAs were utilized at the top of their licenses in the areas of greatest need. We firmly believe that the changes made Friday via emergency order are common sense reforms that should ultimately be put into statute. PAs are critical to filling sweeping staffing gaps across hospitals and other care settings. The Emergency Order has enabled PAs to pivot to vaccination clinics, COVID treatment wards, and antibody testing clinics - all critically necessary as we seek to emerge from this pandemic successfully, and prevent subsequent ones. MAPA is grateful for the support of DPH and DMH in issuing these emergency orders and looks forward to working with the legislature to make these changes permanent through the passage of S.740/H.2229, currently before the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing.

I have honestly never seen a NP in primary care that was willing to function at level of attending. I do 95% but still ask docs on hard questions ie lower copper resistant to replacement and more challenging cases (I am in a new state and hospital system more rural where the docs really do practice at top of their license. ) all the NP’s I have seen in pcp and newer PAs tend to refer these pts out. It is not about not referring or going beyond your comfort but instead digging deep in the academic knowledge (where NP’s seemingly come up short). As well prior HCE means nothing on the esoteric cases. Book knowledge matters and I see PA and NP simply refer out. (And I used too as well) but docs created this situation.

no. Society has the right to protect itself the best way it can. Personal liberty does not trump public health in pandemic how can you know my feelings towards my patient?? Wow, just wow I think the only thing you like to do is argue and inflame as evidenced by such ludicrous statements Ugh such misinformation.

So you are saying even though CDC has come out in favor of vaccination after acute illness is done you believe there is not enough evidence??(as long as not monoclonal antibody given) ((last time I checked CDC was the leading body of knowledge experts. Also I just read another physician loose their license in Maine for purposefully spreading misinformation about Covid. )) so just to be clear. You as a singular PA have decided, against the world wide experts, that there is not enough evidence. back to initial post. The patient was hospitalized before omicron made an appearance. Now it is >95% of cases. Prior infection does not prevent reinfection as well. please provide some supporting evidence to your claim as I want to learn.

And here I thought persistence hunting was me going into the woods day after day and never getting anything

When do you think someone should get vaccinated after Covid (with out Antibody treatment given?)

it is a reflection of the food supply and society....

This advancement is due to 2-3 of the MASS PA board really really working exceptionally hard in the statehouse for the past few years. The NP took 8 years to advance, we are at about 2 right now..... we can do it but it take a dedicated PA to attack it and stay on top of it.

no she is dead wrong but not dead had she not accessed an amazing level of care she would be dead....

we should talk, it should be much faster, pm me

nope was not a mod - I did not even realize it was that old....

COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order 2022-02_signed.pdf official order

unfortunately I think it also will lead to the demise of high quality primary care.....