jdtpac Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 So my question is: what are you actually doing to further the profession? Give me some specific examples, as opposed to broad statements and I'll join. I promise. UGoLong briefly touched on what I been doing( thank you for the kind words).Maverick87, to answer your question,I had spent thousands of hours of my free time, mostly at my own expense, working on both state and national issues.But I am only one individual of many individuals whose involvement has been responsible for expanding our scope of practice through lobbying legislators, physician organizations, medical regulatory agencies and health care administrators. The Academy supplied Ohio with enormous resources when we had our legislative efforts in 2006 to gain prescriptive privileges and again in 2012 to obtain schedule II authority. The Academy has granted the Ohio association over $100,000 in funds to accomplish our goals. They have also help us with e-mail blast we've requested of our membership to contact their legislators asking them for support. The Academy had staff members come to Ohio to give testimony on behalf of the profession and also lobbied the medical board. The Academy's vice president and Dir. of reimbursement ( Michael Powe) has been to Ohio numerous time to meet with medical mutual and other third-party insurance provider to get them to change their policies on PA reimbursement. He has given reimbursement seminars to hospital administrators, coders and private practice office staff to insure these groups are understood all PA reimbursement policy. I could expand on more but I don't think it's necessary at this point. Besides the issue of title change, what issues would you like your state organization or the Academy to address, or what issues do you think these 2 organizations have not been addressing to your satisfaction? I would be more than glad to talk to you off the forum so I can further encourage you to join. Send me a private message and I will send you my phone number. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdtpac Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 So my question is: what are you actually doing to further the profession? Give me some specific examples, as opposed to broad statements and I'll join. I promise. UGoLong briefly touched on what I been doing( thank you for the kind words).Maverick87, to answer your question,I had spent thousands of hours of my free time, mostly at my own expense, working on both state and national issues.But I am only one individual of many individuals whose involvement has been responsible for expanding our scope of practice through lobbying legislators, physician organizations, medical regulatory agencies and health care administrators. The Academy supplied Ohio with enormous resources when we had our legislative efforts in 2006 to gain prescriptive privileges and again in 2012 to obtain schedule II authority. The Academy has granted the Ohio association over $100,000 in funds to accomplish our goals. They have also help us with e-mail blast we've requested of our membership to contact their legislators asking them for support. The Academy had staff members come to Ohio to give testimony on behalf of the profession and also lobbied the medical board. The Academy's vice president and Dir. of reimbursement ( Michael Powe) has been to Ohio numerous time to meet with medical mutual and other third-party insurance provider to get them to change their policies on PA reimbursement. He has given reimbursement seminars to hospital administrators, coders and private practice office staff to insure these groups are understood all PA reimbursement policy. I could expand on more but I don't think it's necessary at this point. Besides the issue of title change, what issues would you like your state organization or the Academy to address, or what issues do you think these 2 organizations have not been addressing to your satisfaction? I would be more than glad to talk to you off the forum so I can further encourage you to join. Send me a private message and I will send you my phone number. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetNavyPAC Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 . . . AAPA focus, strangely, is not PA advocacy. It is AAPA advocacy. And they fail to understand the distinction. Truer words have rarely been spoken. It took me a long time to understand what rcdavis so cogently laid down in these three short sentences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetNavyPAC Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 . . . AAPA focus, strangely, is not PA advocacy. It is AAPA advocacy. And they fail to understand the distinction. Truer words have rarely been spoken. It took me a long time to understand what rcdavis so cogently laid down in these three short sentences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetNavyPAC Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 . . . AAPA focus, strangely, is not PA advocacy. It is AAPA advocacy. And they fail to understand the distinction. Truer words have rarely been spoken. It took me a long time to understand what rcdavis so cogently laid down in these three short sentences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAdamsPAC Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Well spoken and argued. We disagree you and I, but I have no problem with a point, counter point approach so to balance the decision making... I do disagree with your premise tat it is due to the AAPA that salaries have risen.. When I started, te salary was less than $6/ hr., It has risen to my current of almost $90/ hr due to my efforts, my establishing local norms in many places which had never had a PA, and my willingness to walk away from salaries I thought were too low. The aapa had NOTHING to do with this. In fact, the aapa has done very little for the individual PA,, The otginization has done a lot to feather its own nest, and reached the tipping point where it spends more time justifying itself than actually trying to help trend setters. Like mike jones, who sorely might have used a "national organization" with some weight behind it in his fight with insurance companies... It is, by default, the recognized voice of the profession... Unfortunately it uses it's voice to speak for itself, and no longer speaks for the members of the profession... Your position is a good one, but you are recruiting members to an organization which desires to dictate to the membership a corporate philosophy... Regardless of whether the membership wants or agrees with that philosophy. The National voice should not be different than that of the membership. I would ask potential members to review the dreaded name change debate, and the nonsensical AAPA response and actions... It is, after all, that debate out of which the name change committee and subsequentially PAFT were born. And where was the AAPA in real fighting against the nurses lobby(s) in Mississippi and California... Under the AAPA, the PA profession has had its clock rung by the NP organizations ( " but we are so little, we don't have any power!"). The. AAPA Has consistently been accommodating and placating to the NP organization, not representing the majority of the PA members which considers the NP s as our political and professional enemies, . The AAPA Has for 30 years had a " let's all get along" approach with the one organization which has step by step and almost state by state become the "mlp" of choice and legislation; the AANP.... Frankly the AAPA has neither backbone nor balls enough to lay down claims and declare territory for its members.. The real voice of the organization has become the NCCPA, which is setting standards nationally regardless of what the AAPA desires.. PAFT is only a reconized associate (there is that pesky word gain) of AAPA by PAFT choice... Not necessity... Frankly, the PAFT will do more for members, and will take on opposing organizations, one hell of a lot quicker than the AAPA. I appreciate your recruitment efforts and arguments. I will concede, if they have the money, each new PA should join at least for a year. And, at the end of the year, look back and see just what, really, that membership got them.. Other than a bunch of rah rah rhetoric Just my opinion. As usual RC I'm with you 100%, you are again right on the money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAdamsPAC Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Well spoken and argued. We disagree you and I, but I have no problem with a point, counter point approach so to balance the decision making... I do disagree with your premise tat it is due to the AAPA that salaries have risen.. When I started, te salary was less than $6/ hr., It has risen to my current of almost $90/ hr due to my efforts, my establishing local norms in many places which had never had a PA, and my willingness to walk away from salaries I thought were too low. The aapa had NOTHING to do with this. In fact, the aapa has done very little for the individual PA,, The otginization has done a lot to feather its own nest, and reached the tipping point where it spends more time justifying itself than actually trying to help trend setters. Like mike jones, who sorely might have used a "national organization" with some weight behind it in his fight with insurance companies... It is, by default, the recognized voice of the profession... Unfortunately it uses it's voice to speak for itself, and no longer speaks for the members of the profession... Your position is a good one, but you are recruiting members to an organization which desires to dictate to the membership a corporate philosophy... Regardless of whether the membership wants or agrees with that philosophy. The National voice should not be different than that of the membership. I would ask potential members to review the dreaded name change debate, and the nonsensical AAPA response and actions... It is, after all, that debate out of which the name change committee and subsequentially PAFT were born. And where was the AAPA in real fighting against the nurses lobby(s) in Mississippi and California... Under the AAPA, the PA profession has had its clock rung by the NP organizations ( " but we are so little, we don't have any power!"). The. AAPA Has consistently been accommodating and placating to the NP organization, not representing the majority of the PA members which considers the NP s as our political and professional enemies, . The AAPA Has for 30 years had a " let's all get along" approach with the one organization which has step by step and almost state by state become the "mlp" of choice and legislation; the AANP.... Frankly the AAPA has neither backbone nor balls enough to lay down claims and declare territory for its members.. The real voice of the organization has become the NCCPA, which is setting standards nationally regardless of what the AAPA desires.. PAFT is only a reconized associate (there is that pesky word gain) of AAPA by PAFT choice... Not necessity... Frankly, the PAFT will do more for members, and will take on opposing organizations, one hell of a lot quicker than the AAPA. I appreciate your recruitment efforts and arguments. I will concede, if they have the money, each new PA should join at least for a year. And, at the end of the year, look back and see just what, really, that membership got them.. Other than a bunch of rah rah rhetoric Just my opinion. As usual RC I'm with you 100%, you are again right on the money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAdamsPAC Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Well spoken and argued. We disagree you and I, but I have no problem with a point, counter point approach so to balance the decision making... I do disagree with your premise tat it is due to the AAPA that salaries have risen.. When I started, te salary was less than $6/ hr., It has risen to my current of almost $90/ hr due to my efforts, my establishing local norms in many places which had never had a PA, and my willingness to walk away from salaries I thought were too low. The aapa had NOTHING to do with this. In fact, the aapa has done very little for the individual PA,, The otginization has done a lot to feather its own nest, and reached the tipping point where it spends more time justifying itself than actually trying to help trend setters. Like mike jones, who sorely might have used a "national organization" with some weight behind it in his fight with insurance companies... It is, by default, the recognized voice of the profession... Unfortunately it uses it's voice to speak for itself, and no longer speaks for the members of the profession... Your position is a good one, but you are recruiting members to an organization which desires to dictate to the membership a corporate philosophy... Regardless of whether the membership wants or agrees with that philosophy. The National voice should not be different than that of the membership. I would ask potential members to review the dreaded name change debate, and the nonsensical AAPA response and actions... It is, after all, that debate out of which the name change committee and subsequentially PAFT were born. And where was the AAPA in real fighting against the nurses lobby(s) in Mississippi and California... Under the AAPA, the PA profession has had its clock rung by the NP organizations ( " but we are so little, we don't have any power!"). The. AAPA Has consistently been accommodating and placating to the NP organization, not representing the majority of the PA members which considers the NP s as our political and professional enemies, . The AAPA Has for 30 years had a " let's all get along" approach with the one organization which has step by step and almost state by state become the "mlp" of choice and legislation; the AANP.... Frankly the AAPA has neither backbone nor balls enough to lay down claims and declare territory for its members.. The real voice of the organization has become the NCCPA, which is setting standards nationally regardless of what the AAPA desires.. PAFT is only a reconized associate (there is that pesky word gain) of AAPA by PAFT choice... Not necessity... Frankly, the PAFT will do more for members, and will take on opposing organizations, one hell of a lot quicker than the AAPA. I appreciate your recruitment efforts and arguments. I will concede, if they have the money, each new PA should join at least for a year. And, at the end of the year, look back and see just what, really, that membership got them.. Other than a bunch of rah rah rhetoric Just my opinion. As usual RC I'm with you 100%, you are again right on the money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnpac Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Well spoken and argued. We disagree you and I, but I have no problem with a point, counter point approach so to balance the decision making... I do disagree with your premise tat it is due to the AAPA that salaries have risen.. When I started, te salary was less than $6/ hr., It has risen to my current of almost $90/ hr due to my efforts, my establishing local norms in many places which had never had a PA, and my willingness to walk away from salaries I thought were too low. The aapa had NOTHING to do with this. In fact, the aapa has done very little for the individual PA .... And where was the AAPA in real fighting against the nurses lobby(s) in Mississippi and California... ... Just my opinion. Wow. I'm glad to hear that you are singlehandedly responsible for my six figure income.... :-) Seriously, If you think you'd be making 90/hr in this environment without the 4 decades of advocacy on your behalf by others at the state and federal level, I have a bridge to sell you. The current regulatory and reimbursement environment in which you are able to make a six figure income was a direct result of the advocacy of you, as well as many, many others and millions of dollars. You didn't "build it" alone.... And if you think that AAPA didn't have a major role in the Miss. legislative campaign, you need to have a conversation with Merle Dotson, PA, who was at the center of that fight supported with staff and major money from the AAPA as well as AAPA members all over the country who Joined MAPA during the fight in solidarity. As a California PA, and past CAPA leader, I can also verify that the AAPA has been nothing but supporting of our legislative efforts, and have been the difference more that once with the expertise of staffers such as Anne Davis, a California PA. I have been an member of AAPA, CAPA, and my specialty organizations since 1982. I have found that the minuscule fraction of present income has been well spent on my behalf by my organizations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnpac Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Well spoken and argued. We disagree you and I, but I have no problem with a point, counter point approach so to balance the decision making... I do disagree with your premise tat it is due to the AAPA that salaries have risen.. When I started, te salary was less than $6/ hr., It has risen to my current of almost $90/ hr due to my efforts, my establishing local norms in many places which had never had a PA, and my willingness to walk away from salaries I thought were too low. The aapa had NOTHING to do with this. In fact, the aapa has done very little for the individual PA .... And where was the AAPA in real fighting against the nurses lobby(s) in Mississippi and California... ... Just my opinion. Wow. I'm glad to hear that you are singlehandedly responsible for my six figure income.... :-) Seriously, If you think you'd be making 90/hr in this environment without the 4 decades of advocacy on your behalf by others at the state and federal level, I have a bridge to sell you. The current regulatory and reimbursement environment in which you are able to make a six figure income was a direct result of the advocacy of you, as well as many, many others and millions of dollars. You didn't "build it" alone.... And if you think that AAPA didn't have a major role in the Miss. legislative campaign, you need to have a conversation with Merle Dotson, PA, who was at the center of that fight supported with staff and major money from the AAPA as well as AAPA members all over the country who Joined MAPA during the fight in solidarity. As a California PA, and past CAPA leader, I can also verify that the AAPA has been nothing but supporting of our legislative efforts, and have been the difference more that once with the expertise of staffers such as Anne Davis, a California PA. I have been an member of AAPA, CAPA, and my specialty organizations since 1982. I have found that the minuscule fraction of present income has been well spent on my behalf by my organizations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnpac Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Well spoken and argued. We disagree you and I, but I have no problem with a point, counter point approach so to balance the decision making... I do disagree with your premise tat it is due to the AAPA that salaries have risen.. When I started, te salary was less than $6/ hr., It has risen to my current of almost $90/ hr due to my efforts, my establishing local norms in many places which had never had a PA, and my willingness to walk away from salaries I thought were too low. The aapa had NOTHING to do with this. In fact, the aapa has done very little for the individual PA .... And where was the AAPA in real fighting against the nurses lobby(s) in Mississippi and California... ... Just my opinion. Wow. I'm glad to hear that you are singlehandedly responsible for my six figure income.... :-) Seriously, If you think you'd be making 90/hr in this environment without the 4 decades of advocacy on your behalf by others at the state and federal level, I have a bridge to sell you. The current regulatory and reimbursement environment in which you are able to make a six figure income was a direct result of the advocacy of you, as well as many, many others and millions of dollars. You didn't "build it" alone.... And if you think that AAPA didn't have a major role in the Miss. legislative campaign, you need to have a conversation with Merle Dotson, PA, who was at the center of that fight supported with staff and major money from the AAPA as well as AAPA members all over the country who Joined MAPA during the fight in solidarity. As a California PA, and past CAPA leader, I can also verify that the AAPA has been nothing but supporting of our legislative efforts, and have been the difference more that once with the expertise of staffers such as Anne Davis, a California PA. I have been an member of AAPA, CAPA, and my specialty organizations since 1982. I have found that the minuscule fraction of present income has been well spent on my behalf by my organizations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcdavis Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Steve, AAPA did NOT create my salaries. They did NOT create positions which I created. Nah, I didn't do it alone. But in my little corner of the world, the general status of PAs first were accepted and secondarily were uplifted by the salaries which I was responsible for asking for and proving worthy of. In fact, several times I answered the AAPA salary surveys, and found that my level was never reported, I assume because they simply did not believe it. Listen, the OP asked if it was worth it. I think not. We disagree I guess on this. I maintain that individual PAs in the whole have Created their own niche. That it was/is the the individual PAs going into the boonies, the places where there were no PAs previously, and proving the profession's worth. THEN the AAPA comes around, claiming credit. State laws for the most part have changed ( at least in my history in south carolina, north Carolina ) primarily due to state efforts by individual PAs, and STATE PA organizations. There has been a conspicuous absence of the AAPA in my professional life. My comments about the salarie were hardly specious, not were they intended to be bragging.. They were in response to the comment that AAPA created and increased my salary. Bull. AAPA has NEVER sat with me in negotiations with my employers. I maintain, with some pride, that the aapa did nothing to help me create the positions which I have created. And which are now ( because of salary and degree of autonomy and reonsibility) vigorously sough after by other PAs. So, in this sense, yes, I Did create it. The AAPA may have, I repeat MAY. Have helped in Mississippi, but i ississippi has been a problem for over THIRTY years. My suspicion is that changes which have occurred there are more likely due to a general increase of the profession's visibility, and not the AAPA efforts. I may be wrong, but... THIRTY years? I do not feel be holden to the AAPA, with perhaps one exception.. That being there Medicare and medicaide billing specialists, who HAVE Helped individual members multiple times. Again, mike jones's (who is not party to my argument) problems with a national insurance company may well have benefited from a national organization... But, as I recall, their answer to him was that hey could not get involved. I appreciate your history and what you have done for the profession. But disagree with you that the AAPA is worth the membership dues. When I look for national advertising, television ads, magazine articles, and true PROACTIVE advocacy, when I look for the AAPA to agressively help stop the Denigration of PAs by legislative inroads promoting NPs as a more viable option than PAs, When NPs ARE BEGINNING TO SIGN PA PRESCRIPTIONS, and NPs are becoming the hospital APC/MLP of preference, and I do not see the AAPA countering the NP promotional advertisements and in fact essentially defining the APC role, there is a vacuum from the AAPA. "give the membership dues to us, it's only chump change" has become, to me, " give us the dues, chump" The OP can make his decision. I answered his question. And I sleep very well with my answers. Too little, too late. I don't want your bridge. I'll build one. And will find like minded PAs to help me. Again, I simply answered the question " is it worth it"? You all know my answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcdavis Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Steve, AAPA did NOT create my salaries. They did NOT create positions which I created. Nah, I didn't do it alone. But in my little corner of the world, the general status of PAs first were accepted and secondarily were uplifted by the salaries which I was responsible for asking for and proving worthy of. In fact, several times I answered the AAPA salary surveys, and found that my level was never reported, I assume because they simply did not believe it. Listen, the OP asked if it was worth it. I think not. We disagree I guess on this. I maintain that individual PAs in the whole have Created their own niche. That it was/is the the individual PAs going into the boonies, the places where there were no PAs previously, and proving the profession's worth. THEN the AAPA comes around, claiming credit. State laws for the most part have changed ( at least in my history in south carolina, north Carolina ) primarily due to state efforts by individual PAs, and STATE PA organizations. There has been a conspicuous absence of the AAPA in my professional life. My comments about the salarie were hardly specious, not were they intended to be bragging.. They were in response to the comment that AAPA created and increased my salary. Bull. AAPA has NEVER sat with me in negotiations with my employers. I maintain, with some pride, that the aapa did nothing to help me create the positions which I have created. And which are now ( because of salary and degree of autonomy and reonsibility) vigorously sough after by other PAs. So, in this sense, yes, I Did create it. The AAPA may have, I repeat MAY. Have helped in Mississippi, but i ississippi has been a problem for over THIRTY years. My suspicion is that changes which have occurred there are more likely due to a general increase of the profession's visibility, and not the AAPA efforts. I may be wrong, but... THIRTY years? I do not feel be holden to the AAPA, with perhaps one exception.. That being there Medicare and medicaide billing specialists, who HAVE Helped individual members multiple times. Again, mike jones's (who is not party to my argument) problems with a national insurance company may well have benefited from a national organization... But, as I recall, their answer to him was that hey could not get involved. I appreciate your history and what you have done for the profession. But disagree with you that the AAPA is worth the membership dues. When I look for national advertising, television ads, magazine articles, and true PROACTIVE advocacy, when I look for the AAPA to agressively help stop the Denigration of PAs by legislative inroads promoting NPs as a more viable option than PAs, When NPs ARE BEGINNING TO SIGN PA PRESCRIPTIONS, and NPs are becoming the hospital APC/MLP of preference, and I do not see the AAPA countering the NP promotional advertisements and in fact essentially defining the APC role, there is a vacuum from the AAPA. "give the membership dues to us, it's only chump change" has become, to me, " give us the dues, chump" The OP can make his decision. I answered his question. And I sleep very well with my answers. Too little, too late. I don't want your bridge. I'll build one. And will find like minded PAs to help me. Again, I simply answered the question " is it worth it"? You all know my answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcdavis Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Steve, AAPA did NOT create my salaries. They did NOT create positions which I created. Nah, I didn't do it alone. But in my little corner of the world, the general status of PAs first were accepted and secondarily were uplifted by the salaries which I was responsible for asking for and proving worthy of. In fact, several times I answered the AAPA salary surveys, and found that my level was never reported, I assume because they simply did not believe it. Listen, the OP asked if it was worth it. I think not. We disagree I guess on this. I maintain that individual PAs in the whole have Created their own niche. That it was/is the the individual PAs going into the boonies, the places where there were no PAs previously, and proving the profession's worth. THEN the AAPA comes around, claiming credit. State laws for the most part have changed ( at least in my history in south carolina, north Carolina ) primarily due to state efforts by individual PAs, and STATE PA organizations. There has been a conspicuous absence of the AAPA in my professional life. My comments about the salarie were hardly specious, not were they intended to be bragging.. They were in response to the comment that AAPA created and increased my salary. Bull. AAPA has NEVER sat with me in negotiations with my employers. I maintain, with some pride, that the aapa did nothing to help me create the positions which I have created. And which are now ( because of salary and degree of autonomy and reonsibility) vigorously sough after by other PAs. So, in this sense, yes, I Did create it. The AAPA may have, I repeat MAY. Have helped in Mississippi, but i ississippi has been a problem for over THIRTY years. My suspicion is that changes which have occurred there are more likely due to a general increase of the profession's visibility, and not the AAPA efforts. I may be wrong, but... THIRTY years? I do not feel be holden to the AAPA, with perhaps one exception.. That being there Medicare and medicaide billing specialists, who HAVE Helped individual members multiple times. Again, mike jones's (who is not party to my argument) problems with a national insurance company may well have benefited from a national organization... But, as I recall, their answer to him was that hey could not get involved. I appreciate your history and what you have done for the profession. But disagree with you that the AAPA is worth the membership dues. When I look for national advertising, television ads, magazine articles, and true PROACTIVE advocacy, when I look for the AAPA to agressively help stop the Denigration of PAs by legislative inroads promoting NPs as a more viable option than PAs, When NPs ARE BEGINNING TO SIGN PA PRESCRIPTIONS, and NPs are becoming the hospital APC/MLP of preference, and I do not see the AAPA countering the NP promotional advertisements and in fact essentially defining the APC role, there is a vacuum from the AAPA. "give the membership dues to us, it's only chump change" has become, to me, " give us the dues, chump" The OP can make his decision. I answered his question. And I sleep very well with my answers. Too little, too late. I don't want your bridge. I'll build one. And will find like minded PAs to help me. Again, I simply answered the question " is it worth it"? You all know my answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREEN Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 When the AAPA can successfully post a PA story to their Facebook page that doesn't have the words "physician's assistant" in it, I'll consider joining. This seems to be a daily occurrence and they don't GAF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREEN Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 When the AAPA can successfully post a PA story to their Facebook page that doesn't have the words "physician's assistant" in it, I'll consider joining. This seems to be a daily occurrence and they don't GAF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREEN Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 When the AAPA can successfully post a PA story to their Facebook page that doesn't have the words "physician's assistant" in it, I'll consider joining. This seems to be a daily occurrence and they don't GAF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
physasst Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Wow. I'm glad to hear that you are singlehandedly responsible for my six figure income.... :-) Seriously, If you think you'd be making 90/hr in this environment without the 4 decades of advocacy on your behalf by others at the state and federal level, I have a bridge to sell you. The current regulatory and reimbursement environment in which you are able to make a six figure income was a direct result of the advocacy of you, as well as many, many others and millions of dollars. You didn't "build it" alone.... And if you think that AAPA didn't have a major role in the Miss. legislative campaign, you need to have a conversation with Merle Dotson, PA, who was at the center of that fight supported with staff and major money from the AAPA as well as AAPA members all over the country who Joined MAPA during the fight in solidarity. As a California PA, and past CAPA leader, I can also verify that the AAPA has been nothing but supporting of our legislative efforts, and have been the difference more that once with the expertise of staffers such as Anne Davis, a California PA. I have been an member of AAPA, CAPA, and my specialty organizations since 1982. I have found that the minuscule fraction of present income has been well spent on my behalf by my organizations. This^^^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
physasst Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Wow. I'm glad to hear that you are singlehandedly responsible for my six figure income.... :-) Seriously, If you think you'd be making 90/hr in this environment without the 4 decades of advocacy on your behalf by others at the state and federal level, I have a bridge to sell you. The current regulatory and reimbursement environment in which you are able to make a six figure income was a direct result of the advocacy of you, as well as many, many others and millions of dollars. You didn't "build it" alone.... And if you think that AAPA didn't have a major role in the Miss. legislative campaign, you need to have a conversation with Merle Dotson, PA, who was at the center of that fight supported with staff and major money from the AAPA as well as AAPA members all over the country who Joined MAPA during the fight in solidarity. As a California PA, and past CAPA leader, I can also verify that the AAPA has been nothing but supporting of our legislative efforts, and have been the difference more that once with the expertise of staffers such as Anne Davis, a California PA. I have been an member of AAPA, CAPA, and my specialty organizations since 1982. I have found that the minuscule fraction of present income has been well spent on my behalf by my organizations. This^^^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Febrifuge Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 You're right -- the Academy just doesn't want it. The lobbyist said "nobody calls themselves a Physician Associate now anyway, so it would be confusing." Then later, nobody uses it now so it's unnecessary. The logic was not consistent. The state Academy basically wants nothing to do with anything remotely touching the name change issue, it seems to me, because the AAPA doesn't want it. I have zero confidence that even if they re-polled their members and got a majority in favor, they would truly advocate for the change in the HOD when the time came. Not to mention, we've already seen what happens at the national level when there is some momentum. I was quite surprised too that apparently nothing can happen legislatively without the state Academy's involvement. But the fact is, legislators don't really do anything without some lobbyist or expert explaining the issue to them. I doubt many bother to do more research than that. Therefore, the state Academy gets to be the gate-keeper. So, What is the status of the name becoming proprietary? One of your goals was to tm the name... Why would the academy be against that? As I understand it, you were not lobbying FOR the name change, just to protect the associate name in case, at a later date, you DID change it. So where was the threat to the membership? I think the academy just doesn't want it. Go back to the legislature, re-propose the name protection.l. This issue should NOT. Require academy approval. Hell, just to see what happens, maybe you should make it so that any movement to change the name needs your personal approval!!! ( not serious) Poll your fellow PAs.. See how many are for or against the name change.. If 100 %. Are against it.. Then we have some work to do. If 100% are for ( or not opposed) to the name change, then the academy is toeing the AAPA line, and rigged the vote. In my opinion, that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Febrifuge Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 You're right -- the Academy just doesn't want it. The lobbyist said "nobody calls themselves a Physician Associate now anyway, so it would be confusing." Then later, nobody uses it now so it's unnecessary. The logic was not consistent. The state Academy basically wants nothing to do with anything remotely touching the name change issue, it seems to me, because the AAPA doesn't want it. I have zero confidence that even if they re-polled their members and got a majority in favor, they would truly advocate for the change in the HOD when the time came. Not to mention, we've already seen what happens at the national level when there is some momentum. I was quite surprised too that apparently nothing can happen legislatively without the state Academy's involvement. But the fact is, legislators don't really do anything without some lobbyist or expert explaining the issue to them. I doubt many bother to do more research than that. Therefore, the state Academy gets to be the gate-keeper. So, What is the status of the name becoming proprietary? One of your goals was to tm the name... Why would the academy be against that? As I understand it, you were not lobbying FOR the name change, just to protect the associate name in case, at a later date, you DID change it. So where was the threat to the membership? I think the academy just doesn't want it. Go back to the legislature, re-propose the name protection.l. This issue should NOT. Require academy approval. Hell, just to see what happens, maybe you should make it so that any movement to change the name needs your personal approval!!! ( not serious) Poll your fellow PAs.. See how many are for or against the name change.. If 100 %. Are against it.. Then we have some work to do. If 100% are for ( or not opposed) to the name change, then the academy is toeing the AAPA line, and rigged the vote. In my opinion, that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnpac Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 rcdavis - Again, If you were able to create positions, and demand higher salaries, all the more power to you. It didn't happen in a vacuum. The reason that positions are being created, and salaries are high is because the profession fills a need in a unique and valuable way. Health care delivery systems are waking up to the stark reality of shortages of providers at all levels and in all communities. Salaries are high because the current health care system financially benefits from utilizing PAs, and we are not training them fast enough. All elements of current PA practice are the result of decades of positive change that is the direct result of the hard work of thousands of PAs, past and present, in our professional organizations. And, just to clear up a misconception, state chapters are chartered organizations within the AAPA. We are all on the same team. I will bet money that the NC and SC legislative affairs staff have a different perception of the AAPA state legislative affairs support and activities than you do. If you have the magic solution to overcoming the entrenchment of the nursing lobby in Miss, and many other states, please enlighten us. It has stumped me for 32 years. We did in fact overcome their fierce opposition in Miss. to enact a PA practice act. You will see much more rapid change with the ACA as politicians are now finding it politically expedient to figure out how to best use their limited medical human resources to care for the population. This will overcome the traditional medical and nursing lobby, and positive change and regulation of the profession will accelerate as it is already happening. Name one state where regulation allows NPs to sign PA prescriptions (I'm not even exactly sure what you mean by this), or supervise PAs. At our community hospital, PAs outnumber NPs 10:1, and the PAs on medical staff are rapidly multiplying because physicians (at least in my community) recognize that PAs are better prepared for hospital and surgical work. Every PA student who has rotated on our surgical service has been hired by the hospital right out of school. There are pockets of California where NPs dominate, but pressures from the HCS are changing that faster than the nursing lobby can resist. The NP "advantage" won't matter one whit if they can't train NPs fast enough to fill demand. While PA programs are expanding and multiplying all over the nation, nursing is making training of NPs much harder to get, longer, and much more expensive. This is excellent news for the PA profession. The jobs will go to the profession that can fulfill immediate demand, and desperate health care organizations could care less about the NP "advantage." You may see yourself as an island, but we are a profession that has had the benefit of effective advocacy since the early 1970's. This continual advocacy is directly responsible for the positive environment in which we have the privilege to practice. Yes, successful and competent PAs such as you and I made our own "luck," and are successful because of who we are as individuals. But without a supportive regulatory environment, extensive scope of practice, and good reimbursement, it wouldn't matter how good we were; we wouldn't be in the position that we currently find ourselves. You may not believe this, but I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnpac Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 rcdavis - Again, If you were able to create positions, and demand higher salaries, all the more power to you. It didn't happen in a vacuum. The reason that positions are being created, and salaries are high is because the profession fills a need in a unique and valuable way. Health care delivery systems are waking up to the stark reality of shortages of providers at all levels and in all communities. Salaries are high because the current health care system financially benefits from utilizing PAs, and we are not training them fast enough. All elements of current PA practice are the result of decades of positive change that is the direct result of the hard work of thousands of PAs, past and present, in our professional organizations. And, just to clear up a misconception, state chapters are chartered organizations within the AAPA. We are all on the same team. I will bet money that the NC and SC legislative affairs staff have a different perception of the AAPA state legislative affairs support and activities than you do. If you have the magic solution to overcoming the entrenchment of the nursing lobby in Miss, and many other states, please enlighten us. It has stumped me for 32 years. We did in fact overcome their fierce opposition in Miss. to enact a PA practice act. You will see much more rapid change with the ACA as politicians are now finding it politically expedient to figure out how to best use their limited medical human resources to care for the population. This will overcome the traditional medical and nursing lobby, and positive change and regulation of the profession will accelerate as it is already happening. Name one state where regulation allows NPs to sign PA prescriptions (I'm not even exactly sure what you mean by this), or supervise PAs. At our community hospital, PAs outnumber NPs 10:1, and the PAs on medical staff are rapidly multiplying because physicians (at least in my community) recognize that PAs are better prepared for hospital and surgical work. Every PA student who has rotated on our surgical service has been hired by the hospital right out of school. There are pockets of California where NPs dominate, but pressures from the HCS are changing that faster than the nursing lobby can resist. The NP "advantage" won't matter one whit if they can't train NPs fast enough to fill demand. While PA programs are expanding and multiplying all over the nation, nursing is making training of NPs much harder to get, longer, and much more expensive. This is excellent news for the PA profession. The jobs will go to the profession that can fulfill immediate demand, and desperate health care organizations could care less about the NP "advantage." You may see yourself as an island, but we are a profession that has had the benefit of effective advocacy since the early 1970's. This continual advocacy is directly responsible for the positive environment in which we have the privilege to practice. Yes, successful and competent PAs such as you and I made our own "luck," and are successful because of who we are as individuals. But without a supportive regulatory environment, extensive scope of practice, and good reimbursement, it wouldn't matter how good we were; we wouldn't be in the position that we currently find ourselves. You may not believe this, but I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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