Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed a bill into law May 12 that allows experienced PAs to practice without a formal on-paper agreement with physicians and formally adopts the “physician associates” title.
Under the law, PAs with more than 6,000 hours of practice experience no longer need a formal agreement with a physician to practice. American Academy of Physician Associates President and Chair, Todd Pickard, DMSc, said the change will help expand access to care across the state, particularly in rural areas.
Delaware is the fifth state to enact the physician associate title behind Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire and Oregon.
“The ‘physician associate’ title better reflects the responsibilities PAs carry, the depth of our education and training, and the critical role we play in caring for millions of patients across all medical specialties and settings,” Dr. Pickard, DMSc, said in an April 13 statement. “This is a meaningful milestone for the profession, and we look forward to continuing to build upon this momentum.”
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