The AOA Grows a Pair and Fights Back Against Non-doctors Calling Themselves Doctors
For those that don’t know, Physician Assistants have rebranded themselves to Physician Associates. This is all in the name of competing with NPs and to confuse patients as they get their doctorate. You can read the article here: AAPA House of Delegates Votes to Change Profession Title to Physician Associate.
Finally, one of the medical organizations that represents doctors has come out with a statement. The whole thing is here but here are some highlights we liked:
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA), which proudly represents its professional family of more than 151,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and medical students nationwide, is deeply concerned by the potential harm to patient care and patient safety resulting from the erosion of physician-led, team-based care. A physician-led team ensures that professionals with the highest level and most extensive degree of medical education and training are adequately involved in clinical decisions and patient care. “Physician-led” does not imply “physician optional.”
Non-physician clinicians, including APRNs and PAs, are an integral part of physician-led healthcare teams. Healthy discussions and collaboration, regarding safe and appropriate skill set substitution, roles and responsibilities are in order, and we welcome them. However, recent rhetoric has limited this important discussion to claimed territory and optical positioning through the use of professional titles, such as “Doctor” in a clinical setting by non-physicians and “Physician Associate” without consultation with the physician community. Further, we recognize the struggle of achieving professional parity (i.e. scope of practice, prescribing and compensation) between APRNs and PAs. However, efforts to seek parity among non-physician clinicians must not be at the expense of the truth in advertising and clarity of roles in our healthcare system.
The problem is that “statements” aren’t enough. All the physician organizations need to come together and pool some funds for a massive PR campaign to educate patients. They need to know who is treating them and the incredible differences in training between the APRNs/PAs and real physicians.
Remember when these non-doctors wanted collaboration? Well, the Trojan horse is here. They always wanted competition and we let them right in through the front door.
I predict that NP’s will soon be called Nurse or Nursing Physicans……you just have to get that “P” word in somehow. As an opthalmologist, I am forever dealing with “optometric physicians”. When I was a kid, everyone said that anybody could be a “doctor” as you could get a doctorate degree in anything through the ads in the back of comic book. Also it is ironic that my practice name is my name followed by MD PA. So although I am a physician, it is not reflected in my post name initials. Depressing?
I really wish that optometrists would stay in their lane! My ophthalmologist, who I see because of some medical eye conditions does not prescribe glasses as part of their practice – and suggested I see an optometrist. The optometrist insisted on doing some medical testing – even after I specifically said that I did not want it as the ophthalmologist does them as part of the annual exam there – and if I get a different result, I will either do nothing and wait for the next ophthalmologist appointment, or I will seek a third opinion – at my own expense – insurance won’t pay for a second opinion based on an optometrist’s diagnosis. Last time,and why I “fired” the previous optometrist, was he gave me a new diagnosis, and proposed a more indepth exam – costing $700, and some $100/month supplements which was effectively useless. Two different ophthalmologists disagreed with that diagnosis. It appears to be something else they can do to make money.
Leave the medical testing and treatment to actual doctors! Stay in your lane.
Is AOA the first? Interesting from a historical perspective. They were considered less than MDs but got wise and learned the science and now take the same exams. That’s how you earned equivalency in the era where expertise was still considered a thing. Now all you need is PR.
Thank You AOA. About damn time.
As a PA-C I regard thenew title for PA’s as a rearranging of the Deck Chairs on the Titanic.
Physician Associate instead of Physician Assistant..,Still a PA Not an MD or DO..
LOVE IT AS MY NATIONAL ORGANIZATION PISSES IN THE WIND. Did they notice getting WET or the
ODOR.. Useless self agrandizing politicians..
WE ARE STILL PA’s….. NOT MD or DO..
As I have often said on PA forums if you are not happy being a PA go to MED SCHOOL and become an MD or DO.. I am called a dinosaur and so out of touch plus other nasty things…So it goes. As a PA-C for 44 years I
still love what I do in primary care,walk in clinics. I stay away from ER work now but lordy what a privlege to have been able to be involved in this wonderful business..
Thank you Dr Eugene Stedman and Duke University for starting PA school in 1960’s so returning military medics had another pathway to stay in Medicine..
As one of those medics it has been wonderful..As a PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT-CERTIFIED, ALWAYS #2 behind my Physician Leader /Supervisor.. THANK YOU ALL. Still a PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT -CERTIFIED..