A new and better AFPPA?

[surgblumm]

As I look at my title, it is really not fair and is untrue as this group has served it’s members well and has a proud heritage of having great founding members and presidents and has a highly successful history. Than why not change the title? Perhaps because I want new and old members to observe that this group is and has reinvented itself and is undergoing an epiphany. The name has not changed but it’s mission has expanded and become bolder and more courageous. The AFPPA has a new management company, led by a PA who is the executive director and a new BOD led by it’s new President, Beth Smolko. PA Chamberlain , the new executive Director along with President Smolko and the BOD have expanded it’s mission by supporting a Title Change and informing the AAPA of it’s decision and officially calling for a diverse committee made up of both sides of this issue to make a business decision which was advocated by past president Lombardo in the HOD when he said this should not be discussed in the house as it is business. The Name Change Committee argued that reality for almost a year before Toronto.

This new AFPPA BOD also advocates for a direct dialogue with the leadership of the AANP as well as with Nursing as a whole as it is only together, as a team, do we serve the American Public and patients and the health care system. Beth recognizes that we are a team and that we can be productive when we know each others roles, support each others initiatives and work to care for the additional millions who seek medical help. specialty groups survive and thrive because they help others in the profession and in similar professions to be highly educated on the newest trends and improvements in the specialties and to include current and new workshops that prepare the participants to become confident and competent.

The AFPPA will host it’s next conference in Phoenix in October to share it’s knowledge with primary care, family practice and internal medicine PAs and NPs as well as Athletic Trainers and all those who seek to expand their current knowledge and meet with national known thought leaders of both professions as well as with the president and president-elect of the AAPA. This group has a powerful motivation to grow and succeed, that motivation stems from the fact that we need each other and we can all learn from each other. Keep your eyes on this group as they will make history.Good luck Beth and her Board as you bring us further into the future. Look to your left and right as you will take notice that many of the specialty organizations have set their own agendas, developed their own certifications (APACVS,SEMPA) , and in general have developed relationships that are not master/servant with their specialty physician groups as this is where they work and play, where they get their education and where it is most important to have expert professional representation. You and I can play an important part in the transformation of people that are assistants to those who prove by joining and becoming active in their specialties that we are truely associates in every definition of the word.

Yours for A Better Profession,

Bob Blumm, MA, PA-C, DFAAPA

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

Glad to hear they are getting behind this. Just joined.