Key Takeaways:
– A growing number of states are participating in the PA Licensure Compact to address healthcare worker shortages.
– The compact enables physician assistants to practice across state lines without procuring additional licensure.
– States with high healthcare standards, such as New York and California, worry these compacts could compromise healthcare quality.
– Critics argue the enabling of physician assistants to perform tasks traditionally undertaken by doctors puts patients at risk.
– Supporters counter that the compact doesn’t affect state scope of practice regulations or alter the standard of care.
Physician Assistance without Borders
A recent report by the management consulting firm Mercer predicts the US could face a shortage of approximately 100,000 critical healthcare workers by 2028, including doctors, nurses, and home health aides. To combat this potential crisis, an increasing number of states have joined the PA Licensure Compact – an interstate agreement that allows physician assistants (PAs) to practice in participating states without obtaining an additional license.
Delaware, Utah, and Wisconsin first legislated for this interstate agreement in 2023, followed by nine other states by July of 2024. These compacts alleviate administrative burdens for medical professionals like Mercedes Dodge, a physician assistant based in Austin, Texas, who treats many patients from military families. However, if these patients move out of Texas, Dodge cannot continue to provide care unless she acquires a license to practice medical assistance in their new state.
The Role of Physician Assistants in Healthcare
Physician assistants, commonly known as PAs, are licensed to practice in numerous specialties. They usually possess a master’s degree, three years of training typically encompassing 3,000 hours of direct patient care, and hold a vital role in the steadily yielding healthcare workforce.
The PA compact permits these professionals to extend their services across participating states under their “privilege to practice,” foreseeing an alleviation of some burdens in the face of growing and aging populations in many regions. However, this solution is not without its challenges.
The Challenges and Controversies Surrounding Interstate Compacts
One hurdle has been conducting the required background checks on providers seeking to practice under these compacts. For instance, Pennsylvania’s participation in the nursing and medical licensure compacts was delayed when the FBI initially denied access to its fingerprint database.
Despite these challenges, implementation of the compact has met resistance, often rooted in concerns over reducing healthcare standards. States such as New York and California, known for their high-quality healthcare, have not yet joined either the physician, nursing, social workers or PA compacts. They argue that other states mandate lower standards of education and training for medical professionals and worry that the interstate compacts could cause a decline in the quality of healthcare.
Looking Ahead: Extending the Reach of Physician Assistants
Supporters of the compact assert that the agreement makes economic sense, as it would appeal to professionals looking for work, especially in a global society where people relocate more frequently than before. The incentive to move becomes stronger as compact participation often offers better financial stability – something Aneil Prasad, a 32-year-old nurse from New Orleans, experienced firsthand.
Nevertheless, it could take 18 to 24 months for the compact to become fully operational, and PAs can apply to practice in other areas. The compact commission will also need to create a data system to oversee licenses, an initiative that could be influential in the future of healthcare.
While discussions and debates continue, endorsements from patients like those of Dodge’s prove the benefits of an easier pathway for PAs providing healthcare. Despite the costs of procuring licenses for multiple states to follow her out-of-state patients, Dodge hopes that once Texas joins the PA compact, she can continue to serve her patients without hindrance, proving just how essential she is.
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, legistlations like these could play a key role in countering worker shortages and ensuring the continued provision of quality care to all those in need.
Source: [Stateline](https://stateline.org)