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Wow, what a year to be a PA! Not only did PAs persevere through the worst health care crisis in recent history, we upheld high standards of care and delivered ongoing compassion during devastating times. CAPA thanks you and stands with you celebrating the resiliency and generosity of our profession. I have never been more proud to be a PA.
As CAPA begins a new leadership cycle this July, the profession will embark on an unprecedented journey. The AAPA House of Delegates made a bold and important statement this May with the decision to change our title from Physician Assistant to Physician Associate. The name change and re-branding strategy represents a proactive PA-centered approach with benefits beyond our profession. The name change will also shift perception and understanding of our capabilities as PAs to safely and effectively provide patient care. The process for branding and the official name change will take time and energy to implement. CAPA is committed to representing our members and all Colorado PAs in the next few years as we navigate this historic change. I applaud all of you who participated in our Title Change Town Hall and have been active in the conversations about this important milestone in our profession. Our CAPA team welcomes continued engagement and conversations about the process so please stay actively involved.
Looking forward to the next year, CAPA believes Colorado needs OTP and PA practice modernization legislation. Although our bill for practice modernization did not pass this year, we developed many relationships and learned a tremendous amount that will be useful as we pursue legislative change in the coming year. Twenty one states have updated the supervisory language in statute and Colorado strives to join these states that have successfully passed practice modernization laws. CAPA remains committed to our mission to advocate for state regulation change that supports PA practice and ensures PAs can continue to provide access to high quality health care for all Coloradans. As we consider priorities for the coming year, please know we will pursue changes that align with our commitment to excellent patient care and team work. Stay tuned for opportunities for further input and engagement around legislative priorities! Please watch for emails and social media posts surrounding this important issue. We will need all of us working as a team to be successful
What can you do to help these efforts and get involved? A great place to start is continuing your CAPA membership and encouraging your colleagues to join. Next, look for opportunities to join your colleagues by joining a committee, attending a virtual town hall or participating in other CAPA events.
In closing, please remember that decisions are made by those who sit at the table. Every PA in the state is welcome at the CAPA table. Consider yourself invited!
Thank you again for all you do!
Alyn Whelchel, MSPA, PA-C
President, CAPA 2021-2022 |
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Has your membership lapsed or up for renewal?
Be sure to keep your membership active and keep receiving CAPA correspondence, supporting PA advocacy in the state and have access to CAPA events and CME opportunities!
Visit the Membership Page to renew or log-in to your CAPA account. You may also sign-up for automatic renewal so you don't miss out on any CAPA membership benefits! |
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SAVE THE DATE! CAPA's 5th Annual PA Professional Day is scheduled for a VIRTUAL session on Saturday, October 9th, 2021.
This virtual conference will include topics that pertain to professional aspects of PA practice and career. Topics covered previously has included PA leadership, Colorado Legislation, financial planning and more!
If you have a topic you'd love to present, please click here to fill out the speaker interest form by July 23, 2021. |
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CAPA was one of three constituent organizations to win an AAPA 2021 Constituent Organization Award. CAPA was awarded the Outreach and Advocacy Award for creating progressive work environments for PAs specifically through our grassroots efforts over the last year. We could not have been recognized for this award without our CAPA team of volunteer PAs and our contributing PA members! Thank you! Click here to read about CAPA's award on AAPA's website.
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(Click image to enlarge)
Meet your new CAPA Board Members for 2021-2022 leadership year!
CAPA is grateful to have an active and engaged leadership team. Meet them at the July 17th Board of Directors meeting - email us at info@coloradopas.org for details!
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The House of Delegates Officer Election was conducted on May 21, 2021 during the 2021 AAPA House of Delegates Virtual Meeting. The results are in! Peggy Walsh, MS, PA-C, was elected Director/Second Vice Speaker of the House of Delegates on the AAPA Board of Directors! Click on the links to see her CV, Platform Statement, Summary Biography, Short Answer Questions, or to Connect! |
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Are you interested in getting more involved in CAPA? Consider joining a Committee! More information about Committees and duties can be found on the Committee Page. Submit an application today! |
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CAPA's Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) is already working on the second iteration of the 2021 proposed PA Modernization Legislation for the next political session! HB21-1184 had significant opposition during political committee review and revealed opportunities to capitalize on in future legislative campaigns. (Click here to listen to the testimony.)
CAPA is confident that the future for PA legislation in CO will improve access and equity of healthcare and expand PA employment opportunities!
CAPA asks all PAs in Colorado to connect with the CAPA, preferably by being an engaged member, join one of our working group committees, and ensure positive change for PAs in our state!
We are stronger together! |
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CAPA, AAPA, the PA Foundation, other state chapters, and many national medical organizations and centers across the country are partnering with the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) All of Us Research Program to raise awareness about the importance of participation in research. All of Us is seeking one million or more individuals from across the U.S. who have been excluded from past biomedical research to participate in creating a robust and diverse data resource. Scientists and medical researchers with access to the data can use it to understand more about why people get sick or stay healthy.
The mission of the program is to accelerate health research and medical breakthroughs, enabling individualized prevention, treatment, and care for all of us.
Please consider participating in and sharing this fascinating and important program with your patients, colleagues, and friends. For more information, you can visit the Join All of Us website to learn all about the program expectations, browse frequently asked questions, explore the process, and much more.
Click on these
Additional Resource Links:
FAQs, COVID Infographic, How to Sign Up, Program Brochure |
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COPIC Corner
by COPIC Patient Safety and Risk Management
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TELEHEALTH
In 2020, the increased use of telehealth began as a response to COVID-19. However, since then it has emerged to become a more permanent shift in health care. Medical liability carriers (like COPIC) are taking steps to support providers in this new environment, while trying to foresee implications for patient safety/standards of care. Here are the key points to consider:
1. Licensure
For regulators, telemedical services within one’s state of primary licensure are considered today more or less “business as usual.” Providers must be sure their telepractice is consistent with their usual scope of practice and privileges. Regulators will scrutinize services outside a provider’s training or credentials. Some states also impose specific requirements regarding consent and documentation. But, for the most part, services a practitioner offers in the office will be acceptable via telehealth, when this is clinically justifiable.
2. Prescribing
Telephoning prescriptions across state lines has traditionally not been much of a problem. That doesn’t mean every prescription will be accepted; it means you can usually rely on the pharmacist to know whether they are allowed to cooperate. Obviously, controlled substances invite greater scrutiny. But even these are not prohibited under DEA rules during COVID-19 (the DEA has suspended the requirement for an initial in-person visit). However, a controlled substance prescription must be consistent with guidelines, within the scope of the provider’s usual practice, and accompanied by necessary due diligence. This may mean asking the pharmacist to do any required check of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program.
3. Liability
The medical liability exposures for telemedicine are largely the same as for in-person care. Most of the slips, lapses, and hazards you guard against during hands-on care are not changed much by telecare. Normal guidelines for judgment, consent, and documentation apply. On the positive side, telehealth lends itself to a degree of “cherry picking.” Telepractitioners should be able to reduce the odds of adverse events through patient selection. The liability question for any telehealth service is, “Is it reasonable?” In some cases, the answer is altered by COVID-19. Some procedures may not be ideal choices in a perfect world, but during current conditions they may be acceptable—or even superior—options. As telehealth is the ultimate PPE during the COVID pandemic, one should consider adding the documentation that the visit was performed via telehealth as a “COVID countermeasure.”
4. Documentation
There are some unique aspects of telehealth documentation. First of all, it’s important to know when a given encounter was a telehealth visit. A good practice is to note the medium (e.g., teleconference, phone, telemetry data review, etc.). If any technical issue prevented optimal communication, that should be noted (e.g., “Exam limited by capabilities of the patient’s cell phone.”). It’s required by some states to record the fact that the patient was aware of the limits of the technology and that there was a backup plan if it failed. Extra steps need to be taken to document consent for recording or photography. You should note any additional parties at either end, such as assistants or relatives. If an in-person visit would have been preferable but was not possible or advisable due to circumstances (e.g., weather, COVID, etc.), this needs to be documented in the disclosure and consent.
5. The exam
Telecare obviously demands adjustments to the physical exam. Creative practitioners have posted online tips and tricks to accommodate the televideo environment. Devices are available for a variety of physiological measurements (e.g., weight, BP, glucose, etc.) and special exams (e.g., fetal doppler, video-capable otoscopes, spirometers, etc.). Many specialty societies have published guidelines for telehealth services and it behooves providers to be familiar with those in their own specialty.
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The 2021 House of Delegates Meeting was conducted virtually from May 20th through May 22nd. Of note was the passage of a resolution to affirm "physician associate" as the official title for the PA profession. The vote was 198 in favor of the change to 68 against. Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about the Title Change Investigation, the Title Change Vote, Next Steps for the Profession, and Legal Considerations. |
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Colorado PA programs received education on Human Trafficking thanks to a grant from nccPA Health Foundation® sponsoring the topic "Increasing Education to Physician Assistant Students on Human Trafficking in Colorado".
A HUGE thank you to the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking for providing this essential training to our future providers!
• Red Rocks Community College Physician Assistant Program
• University of Colorado Physician Assistant Program
• Colorado Mesa University PA Program
• Colorado Academy of PAs Student Membership |
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Colorado PA Programs Update |
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Happy Summer, from a toasty Grand Junction & The Colorado Mesa University PA Program.
Last month our program reached a monumental milestone. The inaugural class of 2021 walked across the graduation stage on May 21st and were donned their long white coats. An incredible feeling for not only the graduates, but the program, and the community. These brave 15 individuals set off to climb the mountain of PA school with many unknowns ahead. They were resilient, bright, and dedicated to carving the path to success for our program. We wish them luck as they go out to serve the communities of Western Colorado and beyond!
The class of 2022 follows not too far behind in their footsteps and set out on their clinical rotations in May as well. They are optimistic about the opportunities this year will bring. CMU is lucky to have preceptors reaching the far corners of the Western slope, giving our students the chance to train in rural communities. This is one of the foundations our program was built on, reaching out and providing care to areas that are in need and these students are eager to fulfill this role.
The class of 2023 began their clinical medicine series and is currently knee deep in infectious disease. A few students took a study break on a 103-degree afternoon to volunteer and feed the unhoused population of Grand Junction. An incredible and honorable experience! -Emily Gale, PA-S, and Morgan Fox, PA-S |
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Class of 2021 at their graduation ceremony |
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Happy summer from the Red Rocks PA Program!
The Class of 2021 is still currently out on their rotations and will be wrapping up their time as PA Students in the next few months. They graduate in November and will be getting ready to take their PANCE soon after that. We are so excited for them and cannot wait to see what the future holds in store for them.
The Class of 2022 enjoyed their summer break back in May and have been back in summer classes for about a month now. Now that the sun is out everyone has been eager to go outside, so they enjoy most of their lunch breaks playing hacky sack and catch outside. Since the summer course load is a lot lighter for the students, they have been able to enjoy having more time off and have gone on hikes, gone to the mountains, gone fishing, and have picnics at the park on the weekends. They are gearing up to go on rotations starting in August so they are very anxious but excited for this new journey they are about to begin!
We are also looking forward to meeting the incoming class of PA students who start classes in August! |
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Hello from Rocky Vista University!!
The start of summer marks the beginning of new phases for PA students at RVU. Class of ’21 are wrapping up their clinical rotations and will soon start in on their final few months before graduating in November as RVU’s 2nd graduating class. Their final months will consist of presenting capstone and research projects, preparing for the PANCE and taking final summative exams. Good luck Class of ’21 – you’re almost at the finish line!
We would also like to give a shout out to Stephanie Bradford, RVU student of class of ’21 for being this year’s CAPA student of the year! Deservedly Stephanie was recognized for her leadership, support and friendship among Colorado’s students – way to go Steph, you rock!
Class of ’22 celebrated and received their white coats at the end of April and are now wearing them as they embark on their clinical rotations. Students are spread across Colorado and surrounding states and across all core rotations and specialties alike, with ample rural rotation opportunities. The fall and spring were a long nine months with remote learning; students are ecstatic to be out in clinic practicing the knowledge they acquired during didactic.
We would also like to welcome and congratulate the Class of ’23 who are preparing to begin their education at RVU towards the end of summer. Getting into PA school is no small feat and you all should be very proud. Congratulations and welcome to the RVU family!
It’s exciting to see RVU students out in the community, to see each class marching toward the final goal of becoming competent and compassionate PA-C’s and to practice medicine. Each class has a challenging road ahead of them to achieve their goal, but with the support of our RVU community and hard work and determination, we are capable of anything we set our mind to.
Follow us on Instagram to see what RVU and our PA program is up to! |
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It’s hard to imagine that this time last year I was anxiously awaiting to start my first year as a Physician Assistant student at CU Anschutz. Time has moved incredibly fast and the amount of education I have received through didactic and clinical experiences has been wonderful, challenging, and rewarding. After making it through the highs and lows of a virtual education as a result of the global pandemic, me and my classmates are fully enjoying the pleasures of normalcy beginning to arise these summer months. One thing I have been loving this summer is retreating to the mountains; a nice reprieve from technology is always great! In one adventure my partner and I, along with a couple of classmates, packed up our cars as soon as finals were over and spent some time in Jackson Hole, WY. Hiking to waterfalls, checking out local breweries, and swimming in the cool crisp alpine lakes refreshed our brains and spirits.
Though the time off has been rejuvenating, we are all excited to get back into the classroom. Strangely enough, it will be the first time our class has been together in the same room at one time! Despite our virtual environment, we have been able to foster relationships with one another, and I am eager to strengthen these connections with all my peers in class for the first time. On to becoming a PA-S2! -Alyssa Morgan, PA-S
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Contact Us (720) 515-4480 info@coloradopas.org Denver, Colorado |
Copyright © 2021 Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants
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