PAs in occupational medicine play an important role in maintaining a healthy workforce. Companies are trying to do what they can to ensure they have healthy workers because healthy employees are better for business.

›AAPA has been working diligently on addressing the needs of a particular segment of the workforce—federal employees. PAs are designated as covered providers in the vast majority of state workers' compensation programs. Yet, the federal workers' compensation program does not recognize PAs as potential health-care providers for federal employees.

›AAPA will be working with members of Congress to get introduced the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, which would recognize PAs as covered providers through the federal workers' compensation program.

›To read AAPA's legislative agenda for the 110th Congress, go to
www.aapa.org/gandp/agenda_110congress.html.

›Not certain if your state workers' compensation program reimburses for services provided by PAs? AAPA has compiled the information into state-by-state reports. To read the reports, go to www.aapa.org/members/gandp/workcomp.html.

Each report includes billing information, services covered, and whether the program covers first-assisting in surgery.

American Academy of PAs in Occupational Medicine (AAPA-OM)

PAs who practice occupational medicine are the link between the patient and the primary care physician. PAs provide the continuity of care and continue the dialog that sometimes gets lost in this age of insurance-mandated
limitations. PAs in occupational medicine serve as the initial contact and educate patients about their disease process and treatment options.

›AAPA-OM provides representation before those who impact our profession, making sure our concerns and issues are addressed. AAPA-OM strives to remain on top of the issues that affect our practice abilities.

›AAPA has a liaison to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). Each year, AAPA-OM exhibits at the ACOEM conference.

›AAPA-OM seeks to increase membership and to create dual memberships for PAs in family practice and emergency medicine. These PAs also see patients with occupational concerns that our knowledge and insight would benefit.

›AAPA-OM hosts a general meeting at the AAPA's annual conference. This year's meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 29, from 6 to 9 PM, at the Philadelphia Marriott Hotel. American Academy of PAs in Occupational Medicine, 950 N Washington St, Alexandria, VA 22314; (800) 596-4398; E-mail: aapaom@aapa.org; Web: www.aapa.org/spec/AAPAOM/index.html.


PAs in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as other specialty areas, do not have to go it alone. There are numerous resources available through the AAPA to help them.

›AAPA assists specialty organizations interested in exhibiting at national medical conferences. In 2007, AAPA will be working with specialty organizations to underwrite in whole or in part exhibitions at nearly 20 national physician meetings.

›The Academy display will be at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) meeting in San Diego in early May. These exhibits give PAs in the specialty area an opportunity to talk one-on-one with physicians interested in learning more about potentially hiring PAs.

›APAOG assists in educating physicians about PAs in specialty areas through the use of official liaisons between the Academy and national physician organizations, including one to the ACOG.

›To help PAs stay on top of the latest clinical information, AAPA offers hundreds of CME seminars at its annual conference. This year courses of interest to PAs in obstetrics and gynecology will cover such issues as trauma during pregnancy, early detection and treatment of ovarian cancer, and case studies in ob/gyn malpractice.

›For more information about the CME offerings in all specialty areas, go to www.aapa.org/annual-conf.

Association of Physician Assistants in Obstetrics and Gynecology (APAOG)

Physician assistants in obstetrics and gynecology complement physicians in a team-based model by sharing the care of patients so the physician can focus on more complex cases while still maintaining oversight of care within the practice.

›APAOG members receive joint membership in the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals and our newsletter, The Monitor. APAOG also offers access to a membership directory, resources for specialty-specific CME, and a women's health research grant award.

›APAOG members receive access to professional practice information and support in many aspects of practice.

›APAOG recently held its inaugural Women's Health Conference. It was a terrific opportunity for PAs to network with colleagues in women's health from multiple disciplines and to attend CME sessions with quality speakers on timely topics.

›Our next conference is tentatively scheduled for March 7-8, 2008, in Atlanta. A general membership meeting will be held during AAPA's annual conference on Tuesday, May 29, at 4 PM at the Philadelphia Marriott.

Association of PAs in Obestrics & Gynecology, PO Box 1109; Madison, WI 53701; (800) 545-0636; Web: www.paobgyn.org.