EVER THOUGHT OF HIRING A PA-C?
ANSWERS TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS below:
| "Adding
a PA was without a doubt the best thing I have done for my practice in
the past 12 years." (Barry Leshin, MD, AAD Symposium, 3/98, Orlando, FL).
"...have two words of advice for colleagues...physician assistants" ..."best kept secret in dermatology" - "has increased patient base by 50%" (Jay Herbst, MD, Port Charlotte, FL, Skin & Allergy News, 9/99) |
A. THINKING OF HIRING A CERTIFIED PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT?
1. Referral list—dermatologists who have PA-C’s(Physician Assistant-Certified), with phone nos.
2. How Are They Trained?
3. Benefits to Your Practice
4. What Does a "Dermatology Physician Assistant" do?
5. Your State Laws - get a copy *
6. Your Regulating Authority (in most states, YOUR Board of Medical Examiners also regulates Physician Assistants)
7. Will I have to train him/her? What Do They Already Know?
a. Physician Assistant Education
b. CME available in derm for PAs/required CME for PAs
c. surgical residency
d. dermatology residency programs
e. prescribing authorities
8. Salaries/ Bonus Structure
9. Is there a Physician Assistant website?
10. What about patient satisfaction?
B.
FINDING / HIRING THE Physician Assistant
1. FREE RESUMES available by fax – not screened-you contact the PAs directly.
2. Where to Advertise - websites/ AAPA News/ PA Journals
3. List of PA Programs if Hiring a New Graduate
5. List of PA State Societies who advertise free
4. The Employment Contract - samples
5. Contract Checklist
6. Are Protocols Required in my state?
7. Salaries/Bonus structures
8. May I supervise more than one PA?
C.
INTEGRATING A Physician Assistant INTO THE DERMATOLOGY PRACTICE
1. Brochure titled, "Introducing the New PA to Your Referral Base, Patients, and Community"
2. How to Integrate the PA Successfully into the Derm Practice
3. Newspaper announcement
4. Introduction to local Pharmacists
5. Introduction to staff---the PAs education and skills
6. Door Signs/photo on website
7. Training
a. Derm CME & Self Study
b. Immediate reimbursement during training period.
D.
REIMBURSEMENT/CODING - INSURANCE
1. Medicare
2. Coding
3. INGA ELLZEY Coding seminars - proper coding and reimbursement for a PA is important to the practice. (I am not affiliated with Ellzey)
4. PA Malpractice insurance.
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Ask me for answers to any of the questions/items above. NINE SOURCES will help you find answers and actually help you LOCATE a PA seeking a position in dermatology in your state. Most questions can be answered at this website. I am NOT affiliated with any sources or sites I recommend. I maintain resumes' (created for potential dermatologist employers) of Physician Assistants seeking dermatology jobs; as well as a large list of dermatologists wanting to hire a PA. I have talked to >2,000 dermatologists, answering their questions about hiring a Physician Assistant and helping locate many PAs for derm practices. All my services and handouts are FREE to both PAs and dermatologists. I am no longer affiliated with the Society of Dermatology PAs, an organization I co-founded with Joe Monroe in 1993; I do not speak on behalf of SDPA. Mary Monroe
(1) FREE PA RESUMES: E-mail me if you wish to receive PA resumes by fax, which include the PAs' contact info. I file them by state. I will also give your contact info to PAs seeking a job in derm in your state. About 5 PAs per day ask me for my job list. I am not a professional recruiter, and charge no fees to dermatologists or to PAs, though a donation for my long distance fax costs would help. These special-designed SHORT resumes specifically list derm training and experience. I will add you to my dermatology job list. (2) WEBSITE: Go back to the HOME PAGE to look elsewhere in this website for magazine articles about dermatology Pas and a Derm PA Salary Survey Analysis. This website is NON PROFIT and privately funded by myself. Without fees to PAs or dermatologists, I privately assist dermatologists in hiring PAs, and assist PAs in finding positions with dermatologists. I find it a fun, very rewarding hobby; I have been doing this for 11 years. (3) REFERRAL LIST: E-mail me at monroejo@swbell.net to ask for a list of 40+ dermatologists who will personally answer your questions about hiring and working with PAs. What better source of information ! (4) AAPA: The American Academy of Physician Assistants website answers general questions about PAs and prescribing authorities:
(8) CODING: For reimbursement coding training for your office staff, I know of PAs who recommend contacting Inga Ellzey at e-mail: iellzey@iepg.com; phone 888-434-4374; FAX 407-678-5751; Website: http://www.iepg.com. Those who took her course highly recommend it--proper coding for a derm PA is essential. (I am not affiliated with Ellzey). (9) PAID
/ FREE ADVERTISING:
If you wish to reach a larger audience, consider engaging PAID advertising. If so, I recommend AAPA News. I am not affiliated with AAPA News. Contact:AAPA NEWS (circulation >30,000 PAs every 2 weeks)
(10) STATE PA CHAPTERS: Advertise with the PA Chapter in YOUR state for free or for a very nominal cost. To have a list of the state chapters faxed to you, including phone numbers, CALL THE AAPA's FAST FAX SYSTEM AT 1-800 286 2272 AND REQUEST document #100, Constituent Chapter Addresses; or e-Mail: aapa@aapa.org (11) PA PROGRAMS: Contact an accredited Physician Assistant program in your state if you want a new graduate who, typically, just spent 24 to 27 continuous months learning primary care in the medical-school model. Incidentally, if you wish to precept a PA student, let them know that also. There are presently >130 programs in the United States. FAST FAX, 800 286 2272, Document #111: List of Accredited PA Programs, or, again, phone AAPA at 703/836-2272 or visit their website at: http://www.aapa.org. (12) STATE
LAWS: For a summary of state laws, phone AAPA's FAST FAX line,
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HIRING A PA IS GOOD FOR OFFICE MORALE!
Scenario:
The PA sees 30 patients, 10 are same-day appointments, performs 1-2 hours
of minor surgeries, sees two pharmaceutical reps and covers 5 patient phone
calls for refills. The dermatologist & staff get an hour for lunch
instead of 15 minutes, & the dermatologist and staff arrive home an
hour earlier than usual. Patients' waiting time to get an appointment,
as well as their waiting time IN the waiting room, is shorter so patients
are happier. The REFERRING PHYSICIAN is happy to learn his/her patient
got their problem resolved so quickly! The dermatologist's family
is happy, the practice income increases, the physician's hours decrease,
phone calls get answered timely, lunch hours lengthen & there is less
stress.
TRAINING:
Will you have to
train a PA? With only about 1000 dermatology PAs in the whole U.S.,
as of the end of 2003, it is likely; but, good news: you can train them
the way YOU want them trained. Most PAs already know how to suture
and biopsy. Many PA students have done a 1-3-month dermatology rotation,
being trained by a dermatologist, thus having the ability to produce billings/income
immediately. After only 2 weeks training with you, a PA should be
able to start seeing patients for acne, cryotherapy, skin tags, warts,
do wound closures, suture removals, & biopsies. Minor surgical
skills are important in a derm practice. Many PAs have completed
a 1-year surgical residency after a 2-yr PA program (24-27 continuous months)
which was, for most graduates, preceded by a 4-year BS degree. That's
7 years of upper-level education. The nature of the education is
very similar to that for medical degree students. Other PAs
have been in family practice for years, and saw all kinds of minor derm
problems there. Some PAs have derm experience from the military,
or, lastly, have been employed by a dermatologist in the past and need
to make a move. Some PAs have had laser, MOHS, or cosmetic training
by a dermatologist employer.
IMPORTANT:
As with all physician assistants, dermatology PAs are legally and ethically
bound to diagnose and treat dermatologic conditions ONLY under their supervising
physician, never in competition with them. Unlike INdependant mid-level
practitioners, PAs can NEVER open a practice in your community, taking
away your patients. PAs have no desire to become independent medical
providers and will always work as a team with their supervising docs.
DERMATOLOGY PA RESIDENCY PROGRAMS
There currently exists
a derm PA residency program in Kirksville, MO, and one at Univ. of Texas
SW in Dallas; and a Masters Degree in Physician Assistant Studies With
Concentration in Dermatology from Univ. of Nebraska and, soon, from
Nova SE University in Florida.
MALPRACTICE INSURANCE
Lawsuits against PAs are statistically few and malpractice rates are, thus, low. Some dermatologists merely attach a rider to their own malpractice insurance for their PAs. New (12/03) Malpractice Protection For Physician Assistants - www.cmfgroup.com (I am not affiliated with CMF.)
SALARIES
Ask for a free handout for information on derm PA salary surveys I have conducted in the past.
TIPS on INTEGRATING A PA INTO A DERM PRACTICE
Click on this link for
tips
on integrating a PA into your derm practice.
Mary Monroe
E-MAIL: monroejo@swbell.net
FAX: 918 523 1920
Phone: 918 523 1992
ADDRESS: 6218 E 78 Place
Tulsa, OK 74136
WEBSITE: http://home.pacifier.com/~jomonroe
* * * NON-PROFIT * * *
* I was previously Job Recruitment Chairman & Exec Sec'y for the derm PA society for 9 years. I am no longer affiliated with the SDPA, an organization I and Joe Monroe co-founded in 1993; I do not speak on behalf of SDPA. I enjoy a very rewarding, SOLO hobby of helping PAs find derm jobs, and helping dermatologists hire a PA, FREE. I have personally talked to ~3000 dermatologists, answering questions & helping many find a PA.
GOOD LUCK IN YOUR SEARCH FOR A PA!
Mary Monroe
E-mail: monroejo@swbell.net
Phone: 918 523 1992
Address: 6218 W. 78th Pl, Tulsa,
OK 74136
Website: http://home.pacifier.com/~jomonroe