In April 2019, the Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC) welcomed its second PA in the Greenville office, Laura Gardner, MSPAS, PA-C.  Gardner, who is a member of SPAGG, is in the Metabolic Advanced Practice Provider (MAPP) Fellowship, funded by Sanofi Genzyme. 

The MAPP Fellowship is a 24 month training program designed to prepare a PA or nurse practitioner in the diagnosis and medical management of individuals with lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs).  LSDs are a group of about 50 rare disorders characterized by the accumulation of waste products in the lysosomes of the cells in the body.  When asked about the MAPP Fellowship, Gardner responded, “I am thrilled to have been selected to be a part of such a unique and exciting opportunity. Getting to work in the field of genetics, specifically with patients with such rare disorders, is a true honor, and I am grateful to Sanofi Genzyme and the GGC in facilitating my training.”  Gardner is being mentored by Dr. Curtis Rogers in GGC’s Greenville office, where the majority of LSD patients are followed.  Gardner notes that she is “looking forward to the future of this field, the future of rare diseases, and the future of PAs in genetics.”

The GGC’s Division of Education has also received an $82,000 grant from Sanofi Genzyme to expand PA education in genetics, especially as it relates to LSDs.  With this grant, the GGC is leading efforts to provide lectures for PA students and create reference material specifically for PAs.  The LSD Fact Sheets created through the Sanofi Genzyme grant can be found here on our website.  The GGC is also working on developing materials for the website of the American Academy of Physician Assistants where there are currently no genetics resources.

More information can be found on page 7 of the GGC’s Summer News Letter.

Ninety percent of PA respondents report a disconnect between their official title (physician assistant) and their role in healthcare, according to new research presented today to the House of Delegates (HOD) of the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) by WPP, the agency selected to lead the independent Title Change Investigation. Overall research findings strongly suggest that exploration of an alternative professional title for PAs should be pursued.  For more information, please click here for the full article by the AAPA.

SPAGG Treasurer, Wesley Patterson PA-C, is attending the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Meeting in Seattle, WA.  He wanted to share that his supervising physician, mentor, and SPAGG enthusiast, Dr. Roger Stevenson, received the David L. Rimoin Lifetime Achievement Award!  This is the highest honor that the ACMG bestows.  When asked about Dr. Stevenson, Wesley said, "It is a true honor and pleasure to work with a world class geneticist and human being.  He is an inspiration and is the gold standard that all genetic providers should strive to be."  For more details, please click here.

Pictured: Dr. Roger Stevenson (right) and SPAGG Treasurer, Wesley Patterson PA-C (left)

SPAGG had strong representation at the AAPA Leadership and Advocacy Summit from March 14-16, 2019 in Alexandria, VA.  SPAGG president, Nguyen Roche, attended and represented SPAGG.  A lot of people are interested in SPAGG and what we can accomplish!  It is a very exciting time for our organization!

Pictured: (right) AAPA President, Jonathan Sobel PA-C, and (left) SPAGG President, Nguyen Roche PA-C.

The American Academy of PAs (AAPA), the professional organization representing more than 131,000 PAs across the country, applauds U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Tom Carper (D-DE), for introducing S. 596, the Physician Assistant Direct Payment Act, authorizing PAs to receive direct payment under Medicare.

Currently, PAs are the only health professionals who are authorized to bill Medicare for their services but are not able to receive direct payment. Medicare permits all health professionals—physicians, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), physical therapists, psychologists, podiatrists, social workers, and others—to receive direct payment under their own name and National Provider Identifier number.

When PAs cannot be paid directly by Medicare, they are unable to reassign their payments in a manner similar to physicians and APRNs. The inability to be paid directly further hinders PAs from fully participating in the increasing number of innovative value-based payment arrangements and emerging models of healthcare delivery.

Click here to read the full article on the AAPA website.

AAPA is announced the selection of WPP, a world-renowned research, branding, and communications company, as the firm that will conduct the PA Title Change Investigation.  The firm’s unparalleled expertise in research and branding will be an invaluable asset to this independent, comprehensive investigation. Members of their team will be able to access as a resource an Advisory Council of PAs, which is composed of PAs with differing clinical specialties and from a range of geographic areas.  Click here to read the full article on the AAPA website.

The American Academy of PAs (AAPA) and the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) have partnered to raise public awareness of the PA profession by funding a nationwide advertising campaign.  NCCPA has contributed $500,000 to this joint effort, matching funding approved by AAPA’s Board of Directors.

Click here for a link to the AAPA website or here for a link to the NCCPA website for the full article.  This article was written by the AAPA and NCCPA.

AAPA’s president and chair of the Board of Directors, Jonathan E. Sober, DMSc, MBA, PA-C, DFAAPA, FAPACVS, has selected 12 PAs to serve on the Title Change Investigation (TCI) Advisory Council.  Members represent a broad range of clinical specialties from different geographic areas, and include individuals from PAEA, ARC-PA, and NCCPA.  Click here for the full article on the AAPA website.