What would you say to patients when our title changes?

[Guest Paula]

Let's say our title changes and your state implements it.  How would you explain the title change?  For instance :  Licensed General Medical Practitioner Associate

To patient:  I'm Paula, I'm a licensed General Medical Practitioner Associate.  (LGMPA)

Patient:  Huh?  what the heck is a LGMPA?  I thought I was seeing the PA today.

LGMPA:  A LGMPA is a medical practitioner with a masters degree in medicine or a doctoral degree in medical health sciences.  We have a general medical education and we diagnose, treat patients, write prescriptions, manage simple and complex patients, provide simple surgical treatments in the office and first assist in major surgeries.  Our programs started as PA programs but due to the advancement in medicine our programs now offer us the LGMPA degree.  All PA programs are in the process of converting their programs.  Many LGMPA's undergo special 12  or 18 month residencies in specialty fields too. 

Patient:  Huh? WOW! That's cool.  Why would I ever need to see a doctor?  Is this the same as an NP?

LGMPA:  you don't.  (HAHAHAHA....that is said tongue in cheek).   No not the same as an NP.  They are nurses.  We are General medical practitioners. 

 

 

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

I would say “we used to be called PAs before we outgrew that title. Our new one is xxxx. I, and most of us, have either a master/doctorate in medical science. Some, like me, do a residency to become specialist. Mine was 18 months in Emergency Medicine. But let’s talk about you. What problem are we having today?”

if we actually had a title change I would probably put a poster under the TV in the rooms explaining it.

[Hope2PA]

Good grief LGMPA, let’s hope not!!! I am assuming title option will be presented next week. Are the behind door discussions regarding title change as follows...we really don’t want to do ANYTHING, cause we don’t want to upset docs with physicians associate or NP with Medical practitioner, so let’s come up with some ridiculous long Bull crap(LGMPA)so physician assistants just give uup. I fell this question is RIDICULOUS! Now let’s try what would you tell patients about title change to MMS/ Medical practitioner or DMS / Medical practitioner..EASY, the title was outdated, we are not assistants, we are Master or Doctorate educated practitioners. NP are trained in advance nursing and we are trained in medical science, more like doctors...period!!! 

Edited November 10, 2019 by Hope2PA
Poor wording.

[UGoLong]

What’s this “next week” thing? I assumed we were going to get polled again but some postings suggest a name or names is/are going to be released?


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[LT_Oneal_PAC]

37 minutes ago, UGoLong said:

What’s this “next week” thing? I assumed we were going to get polled again but some postings suggest a name or names is/are going to be released?


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I think this is just a hypothetical. The survey is rolled out in batches this week. It’s narrowed down to 4 names, but we won’t bring them up in the public forum. It’s been requested to keep it sensitive due to the ongoing research and could skew data.

[PACali]

3 hours ago, LT_Oneal_PAC said:

I think this is just a hypothetical. The survey is rolled out in batches this week. It’s narrowed down to 4 names, but we won’t bring them up in the public forum. It’s been requested to keep it sensitive due to the ongoing research and could skew data.

wow, so they actually have 4 names, awesome. Million dollars worth spent I guess lol. I thought they are just going to tell us our name sucks and physician associate is a better name but we can't change it because physicians will get mad at us and hire more Nurse Practitioner instead...

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

5 hours ago, PACali said:

wow, so they actually have 4 names, awesome. Million dollars worth spent I guess lol. I thought they are just going to tell us our name sucks and physician associate is a better name but we can't change it because physicians will get mad at us and hire more Nurse Practitioner instead...

They started with 150 options, so they did quite a bit of work to narrow it down to the truly viable options.

[CAAdmission]

People aren't bright enough to exercise and stop smoking and you think they will even notice the change? They won't even look up from their cell phones. 

[Cideous]

I now refer to myself as "The Provider".  I never, NEVER use Physician Assistant.  It's a ridiculous description of what I do.

I am a Medical Practitioner, even if the name has not caught up to my license.

 

[Guest Paula]

12 hours ago, Hope2PA said:

Good grief LGMPA, let’s hope not!!! I am assuming title option will be presented next week. Are the behind door discussions regarding title change as follows...we really don’t want to do ANYTHING, cause we don’t want to upset docs with physicians associate or NP with Medical practitioner, so let’s come up with some ridiculous long Bull crap(LGMPA)so physician assistants just give uup. I fell this question is RIDICULOUS! Now let’s try what would you tell patients about title change to MMS/ Medical practitioner or DMS / Medical practitioner..EASY, the title was outdated, we are not assistants, we are Master or Doctorate educated practitioners. NP are trained in advance nursing and we are trained in medical science, more like doctors...period!!! 

Good grief.  This is totally hypothetical,  LGMPA is totally made up .  It was just an off the cuff  title.  This is not intended to be a discussion on what the title the WPP has come up with and I purposely avoided the MMS/Medical practitioner because we have discussed that ad nauseum.  So you did answer the question eventually of what you will say.  

[Hope2PA]

12 hours ago, UGoLong said:

What’s this “next week” thing? I assumed we were going to get polled again but some postings suggest a name or names is/are going to be released?


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Sorry, didn’t mean new title next week. I am ASSUMING options will be presented later next week because of the Executive Leadership Conference being held 12-14th and previous talk of release mid-November. 

[Guest Paula]

3 hours ago, LT_Oneal_PAC said:

They started with 150 options, so they did quite a bit of work to narrow it down to the truly viable options.

150 options?  Really?  How do you know that?  Who can even think up 150 options? 

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

50 minutes ago, Paula said:

150 options?  Really?  How do you know that?  Who can even think up 150 options? 

On the AAPA page there is a video under the title change section. I assume it will come with the email too.

[Mayamom]

When I  first graduated no one knew what a PA was.  I had to explain many times what my role was and my educational background.  Over time patients began to become familiar with and comfortable seeing a physician assistant.  I'm 30 years in and will continue to introduce myself as a physician assistant until retirement 

which I hope is not to far away!!

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

When I  first graduated no one knew what a PA was.  I had to explain many times what my role was and my educational background.  Over time patients began to become familiar with and comfortable seeing a physician assistant.  I'm 30 years in and will continue to introduce myself as a physician assistant until retirement 

which I hope is not to far away!!

“What is your occupation?” Retiree is now my comfortable answer. If someone were to ask what I retired from I’d just say that I was a medical provider and hope that they leave it at that. Initially back in the 70’s/early 80’s, physician assistant was an accurate description. Things are different now obviously (we weren’t licensed by the state, didn’t have prescriptive privileges, and couldn’t even write an order for APAP without the nursing staff having to reach my SP for authorization). Forget about seeing a patient by yourself if not already established. All those years I never took pride in calling myself a physician assistant, in spite of clinical acumen or training. I didn’t mind “PA” as long as no one asked what it stood for. I DID take pride in giving solid medical care (IMO), especially once I could start utilizing my training from decades before. I always felt like we were the bastard step-child in the healthcare game.

[CAdamsPAC]

2 hours ago, Mayamom said:

When I  first graduated no one knew what a PA was.  I had to explain many times what my role was and my educational background.  Over time patients began to become familiar with and comfortable seeing a physician assistant.  I'm 30 years in and will continue to introduce myself as a physician assistant until retirement 

which I hope is not to far away!!

There's seems to be a good number of us three plus decade PAs pulling the plug!

[rev ronin]

2 hours ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

Initially back in the 70’s/early 80’s, physician assistant was an accurate description.

So true! Or, at least, from what I hear.... I didn't see my first PA until 1985, but the key point isn't that our title was NEVER right... but it was right, once upon a time, several decades ago, and times have changed for the better.

[PACali]

Here is the video on how they get to the 4 options https://youtu.be/Ll7_YqXslbw

[PickleRick]

Nobody has sent me a survey.  

[UGoLong]

Me either. I did get one last year for the initial investigation.


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[dmdpac]

23 minutes ago, UGoLong said:

Me either. I did get one last year for the initial investigation.


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+1

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

I don’t think anyone has. It’s coming out in batches even if it has. If you don’t get one by Nov 15th, email customercare@aapa.org. @dmdpac@UGoLong @PickleRick

[sas5814]

Some people have received it and some people are discussing the options listed despite being asked not to.

[BayPAC]

In general, as long as you have a prescription pad, patients don't care about your title. They have MDs/DOs, then everything below that is equal...PAs, NPs, LGMPAs, etc....  

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

33 minutes ago, sas5814 said:

Some people have received it and some people are discussing the options listed despite being asked not to.

If you see it on the forum, please point it out and it will be removed.