By Martina Nacach Cowan Ros
Boston University News Service
Facing a statewide health care workforce shortage, advocates for physician assistants spoke last week at the State House to support legislation that eliminates restrictive supervision requirements, as they aim to expand care access in underserved areas.
The Massachusetts Association of Physician Associates, which advocates for legislation that impacts physician assistants, hosted its annual Lobby Day, drawing students and legislators to discuss health care challenges. Physician assistants work alongside doctors to help treat patients, prescribe medications and perform tests and treatment plans.
Access to care, long patient wait times and a shortage of physicians were among the key issues discussed.
State Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, vice chair of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health, said more than one million Massachusetts residents are living in areas where there’s a primary care shortage, according to The Center for Health Information and Analysis.
He is a sponsor of the Optimal Team Practice bill, which aims to remove barriers to care for physician assistants. The bill would eliminate “outdated supervisory requirements” placed on PAs that restrict their “flexibility,” especially in “underserved areas,” giving PAs more autonomy when assisting patients, he said
“You’re entering this field during a health care workforce crisis in Massachusetts,” Cyr told students. “PAs are critical to filling these primary care gaps and keeping care accessible,” he said.
Physician assistant: Baker executive order proved restrictions not needed
Thea Nolan, president of MAPA and a physician assistant at UMass Memorial Medical Center, said the success of the executive order passed by Gov. Charlie Baker during the COVID-19 pandemic, which temporarily waived the need for PAs to file a supervising physician at a state level, is proof that restrictions are unnecessary. She said there was no increase in poor outcomes or any complaints against physician assistants.
“What that executive order allowed us to do was to go where we were needed most, at a time when we were needed most,” she said. “We’re not looking for independent practice. We’re just looking to remove certain barriers.”
MAPA Director-at-Large Marissa Cauley, who is chief advanced practice provider officer at Brigham and Women’s and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospitals, has seen firsthand how these issues affect physician assistants in the area.
“The same issues are even worse out in the community and outside of the city,” said Cauley, who has lived in Medway for 12 years. “Boston has so many large academic medical centers, and as you get out into Western Mass., there’s less. So PAs really are that answer in the rural areas.”
MAPA rep. says removing restrictions is especially important in rural areas
Cauley said access to care is the biggest issue faced by patients in Medway. She wants Cyr’s OTP bill to pass this session, as it would directly impact access to care.
“We need providers in all areas of medicine, and by removing those archaic old processes, we can have PAs be able to practice in all areas of the hospital,” she said.
Two other bills were discussed, including an Interstate Compact bill aimed to reduce barriers for interstate practice and the Section 12 bill, which is aimed to train PAs in mental health evaluation and authorize them to initiate psychiatric holds.
Kiame Mahaniah, the state’s undersecretary for Health and Human Services, said that students should advocate for their crucial roles.
“It’s great to see a group of students and professionals who have dedicated their lives to caring for others in a very one-on-one way,” he said. “There is no getting out of the crisis we have today without physician assistants.”
This story originally appeared in the Milford Daily News.
