CAQ Results

[andersenpa]

Hmmmm... In summary:

 

1. A situation that you flippantly dismissed as utterly impossible is now at least being discussed in TX and MD

 

2. You don't care if the above occurs due to unlikely personal consequences for you.

 

 

It's conjecture. Anything can be discussed. Know the source and their motives before you get concerned. As I said the motives of the delegate who posted this on C1 is clear; they are anti-associate. At first they (detractors) claim that the name change is an issue that only a "small number of rogue anonymous online forum members" care about. Then the AAPA write in campaign and census showed the real numbers behind it. Then the issue became cost. Now they need to employ a new diversion tactic- make a bigger distraction elsewhere. Like the NCCPA/CAQ. This is the latest in a string of distractions, soon to be followed by something else. So the fact that it is being "discussed" holds as much water as what is "discussed" on cable news. All talk.

 

And no, I am not concerned about NPs poaching jobs in my field or the other 4 that are covered by CAQ. 1) The nature of PA and NP training means low chance of NPs taking these jobs, 2) as I said above these practice lean heavily on PAs to do the work. Insurers don't operate in a vacuum, and they won't be able to suddenly deny payment to thousands of PAs (read= physician run/owned practice$). Always follow the money, there's too much to be lost, especially in lucrative CAQ fields like CTS and ortho.

[Contrarian]

Got this in the Email a few days ago:

 

Hope has never been higher for dramatic improvements in reimbursement for PA services in psychiatry thanks to the Psychiatry CAQ program, according to leaders of the Association of Physician Associates in Psychiatry (APAP). Read more in this article by psychiatry PA James D. Cannon, DHA, PA -C, a member of the boards of both APAP and NCCPA.

 

In addition to the latest on efforts to improve reimbursement, the article presents some impressive findings from a recent survey of the 2011 CAQ recipients who are experiencing real benefits from their participation in the CAQ program, including pay increases, expansion of privileges and - yes - improvements to reimbursement. Read the full article here.

 

One psychiatry CAQ recipient wrote: "My CAQ in Psychiatry has allowed me to bill for my services with Medicaid patients. That was a big plus in our clinic setting."

 

Another said: "[i've experienced a] significant increase in level of respect from colleagues, hospital staff, patients, and families."

 

Registration for the 2012 Psychiatry CAQ Exam is underway now. The exam will be offered nationwide on September 10 and in Atlanta only on October 21 following APAP's Symposia on Psychiatry.

 

Read more about CAQ requirements and register online at http://www.nccpa.net/Psychiatry.aspx.

If you have not already done so, you can support APAP's effort to improve reimbursement by completing a brief survey to further identify reimbursement issues and the scope of the challenges facing psychiatric PAs in practice.

 

Sounds like BS Propaganda to me as, I have never had or heard of any problems with any practice billing Medicare/Medicaid/DSHS, etc. for my services as a Physician Assistant in Psychiatry.

 

Then again, I have only worked in "Community Mental Health" settings (Inpatient and Outpatient) and never worked in a "Private Psychiatry Practice."

 

What say you...

[RetNavyPAC]

For example, who made up the NCCPA ER exam? Someone earlier in this thread said it looked a lot more like a hospitalist exam. NCCPA professes to be worried about quality, but they rolled out this effort half-a**ed.

 

For what it's worth - I took the exam this morning. I have to say that I read the CAQ threads last year and was a little dismayed/worried at the comments that it was geared/weighted to the critical care side of EM and thus studied that aspect much more. I think the NCCPA learned from comments and critique. It seemed very much more meat-and-potatoes EM.

 

Why are we to believe that the NCCPA is a legitimate authority on emergency medicine? And surgery? And nephology? And everything else? If we are going to have to take a test, why turn to these chuckleheads when we have organizations like ACEP and ABEM that are the legitimate experts in their field? I'm sure they have tons of validated questions around they would be happy to sell. If you work in ER and have a choice between a certificate from NCCPA and ABEM, it probably would not be a hard choice.

 

I also remember talking to Randy Danielsen last year and the CAQ exams were developed in coordination with physician specialty boards. ACEP reps helped NCCPA develop the exam. Now I'm not sure how close or how hands-off it was, but at least they were involved. My dos centavos.

[True Anomaly]

For what it's worth - I took the exam this morning. I have to say that I read the CAQ threads last year and was a little dismayed/worried at the comments that it was geared/weighted to the critical care side of EM and thus studied that aspect much more. I think the NCCPA learned from comments and critique. It seemed very much more meat-and-potatoes EM.

 

 

 

I also remember talking to Randy Danielsen last year and the CAQ exams were developed in coordination with physician specialty boards. ACEP reps helped NCCPA develop the exam. Now I'm not sure how close or how hands-off it was, but at least they were involved. My dos centavos.

 

Good to hear. I will likely take the exam next year, as I'll be close to hunting for a new job at that time.

[LoRezSkyline]

starting in 2012 SEMPA will offer a CAQ prep course taught by experienced em pa's and folks who have taken and passed the CAQ.

 

Hey EMED and others,

 

Any updates on this one? I hadn't heard about anything like this happening last year from SEMPA, and the only course/conference I know of that they've got on deck is SEMPA 360 in Vegas in March which is their yearly get-together. Has this idea been back-burnered, or is it happening in 2013?

 

Thanks...

[EMEDPA]

Hey EMED and others,

 

Any updates on this one? I hadn't heard about anything like this happening last year from SEMPA, and the only course/conference I know of that they've got on deck is SEMPA 360 in Vegas in March which is their yearly get-together. Has this idea been back-burnered, or is it happening in 2013?

 

Thanks...

It is a workshop at the annual conference. they had it last year as a full workshop. they will incorporate it this yr into a roundtable discussion:

Roundtable: The World is Changing Moc CAQ - What Does Maintenance of Certification Mean to PAs in Emergency Medicine?

Greg Thomas, PA-C

Need to know what to do to maintain your NCCPA certification? Then this session is a MUST for you! A brief review of the current requirements for maintaining your certification will transition into a discussion on the enhancements that will incorporate additional competencies into the certification maintenance process. You’ll also have a chance to learn the latest on our Emergency Medicine CAQ program!

Objectives:

- Review the current certification and certification

maintenance processes for the PA-C credential.

- Achieve a better understanding of the new certification

maintenance requirements to be implemented in 2014.

- Have a better understanding of the Certificate of Added

Qualifications (CAQ) program in Emergency Medicine.