HELP NOW, HB 2578 and SB 3074

HAPA,

Your help is needed immediatly. PLEASE READ.  YOU MUST PROVIDE TESTIMONY to get HAPAs desired amendments included  in HB 2578 and SB 3074 (the bill to remove PANRE from licensing renewal for our PAs). These amendments are needed!

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW---see sample letter below.  Please do this to make Hawaii a better place for all of to work and grow our profession.  

I have already contacted Sponsoring Rep, all of the co-sponors, BOME, and HMA.  

Here is my letter that I used (see below); cut and past portions as needed, and submit.  Add your name and credentials, etc to let them know that you are a special member of the healthcare team, but keep it simple.  

AREAS THAT I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT parrt of the message you need to send.  SUBMIT at capitol.hawaii.gov

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Dear Senate Members, 

On behalf of the Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants (HAPA) and the more than 300 physician assistants (PAs) providing care to Hawaii’s residents, we would like to express our support for HB 2578, relating to PA license renewal. We appreciate your sponsorship of this PA positive bill and your support of improving PA practice in Hawaii.

 

This bill will allow PAs to renew licensure upon the completion of a specified number of continuing medical education (CME) credits, and will prohibit the Hawaii Medical Board from requiring PAs to maintain current certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) as a condition of license renewal. This bill is consistent with the renewal process used in 31 states and the District of Columbia and the license renewal requirements for Hawaii physicians.

 

The current version of the bill does not specify the number of continuing education credits that will be required for license renewal and defers to the Hawaii Medical Board to set the number. We request the bill be amended to specify the number of credits that will be required. We concur with the Hawaii Medical Board’s written suggestion that the bill be amended to require 40 credits of continuing education, consistent with the requirements for physicians.

 

Proposed amendment to HB 2578 Page 6, Lines 4-11 add the following:

• (j) A physician assistant shall meet the category 1 or 1A continuing medical education requirements by obtaining forty credits in a category 1 or 1A continuing medical education program accredited or approved by the American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, American Academy of Physician Assistants, or in another approved category 1 or 1A continuing medical education. To determine compliance, the board may conduct a random audit of 5 percent of licensees. A physician assistant selected for audit shall be notified by the board. Within sixty days of notification, the physician assistant shall provide the board documentation to verify compliance with the category 1 or category 1A continuing medical education requirements.

 

We appreciate your consideration in this matter and hope that you will amend the bill to specify that the completion of 40 CME credits is required for license renewal. If passed, HB 2578 would bring Hawaii’s license renewal process in line with the majority of other states.

 

 

Regards,

 

Rocco Laudadio, DHSc., PA-C

President, Hawaii Academy of PAs