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PAs for a Healthy America: Vote 2008

By Nicole Gara, senior vice president, advocacy & government affairs

AAPA launched an advocacy initiative—PAs for a Healthy America: Vote 2008—at the 2008 annual conference in San Antonio and continues to stress the importance of political action in this election season. The project provides PAs with opportunities to affect change in the health care system and to push reform to the top of the agenda for the next Congress and Administration.

Easily accessible at www.aapa.org/gandp/ advocacy.php, PAs for a Healthy America allows PAs to see who’s running for Congress, read about the health care reform platforms of the major presidential candidates, review analyses of health care reform proposals at several nonpartisan Web sites, access the AAPA health care reform policy paper, and participate in a weekly poll on health care issues. An interactive map offers a statistical overview of care provided by PAs in any state, a useful document that can be shared with state or federal legislators. Suggestions for political involvement are listed on the site, including guidelines for inviting candidates to tour a hospital or clinic to see physician-PA teams in action.

State health care initiatives continue to make the news. Massachusetts adopted a comprehensive reform program, but other states, such as California and Pennsylvania, are struggling. PAs are frequently mentioned in these proposals as essential to increasing access. Can states achieve universal access on their own? Read more in the advocacy page section on state health care reform.

As part of PAs for a Healthy America, the Academy’s government affairs staff is distributing “The Latest Word,” a weekly snapshot of what is happening in Washington. Casual and informative, this e-news source is an easy way to stay on top of current issues of interest to PAs. The most recent and archived issues of “The Latest Word” are available on the advocacy Web page.

TRICARE e-prescribing open to civilian providers

By Janette Rodrigues, writer/editor, AAPA News

Civilian health care providers can now write electronic prescriptions for military personnel and their families, according to a letter from TRICARE to AAPA President Cynthia B. Lord. PAs and other civilian medical professionals with prescribing rights became eligible to participate in the US Department of Defense (DOD) e-Prescribing (eRx) Initiative on July 17.

“The important part of the DOD eRx Initiative is publishing of the Uniform Formulary electronically,” said Major Gen. Elder Granger, deputy director and program executive officer of the TRICARE Management Activity, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense Health Affairs. The TRICARE formulary is the most requested in the nation from civilian providers, he said, but it had not been available in a standard electronic format until now. He noted that eRx will allow health care professionals to prescribe more efficiently by using generic and preferred drugs.

AAPA joins Healthiest Nation Alliance

By Christopher Doscher, publications director

AAPA has joined the CDC as part of the newly formed Healthiest Nation Alliance, an effort to make the United States a world leader in health promotion, prevention of poor health, and preparedness for new threats. The goal, according to the Alliance, is to ensure that the country’s investments in health care prioritize those three elements “as much as they prioritize access to affordable quality medical care” once conditions occur. The founding members of the Healthiest Nation Alliance are the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

As a member of the Alliance, AAPA will be able to utilize various communications and marketing tools created by the Alliance with the aim of motivating and engaging other individuals, companies, and organizations to “take actions to protect and improve their health.” An online community also will be formed for the purpose of members sharing their ideas and stories of successful efforts to improve the health of people and groups of people. AAPA will have access to this community and will periodically ask members to share their own stories of health promotion, prevention, and preparedness efforts. PAs may join the network as individuals or as representatives of their practice or institution. Official requests for membership may be submitted at www.healthiestnation.org.

INFORMATION ON UPCOMING CME EVENTS For the most up-to-date list of CME opportunities, visit the AAPA Web site at www.aapa.org/cme/approvedcat1.htm