I am joining the CompHealth team again at #AAPA16 this year – and I am enjoying meeting many of you for the first time – as well as seeing many of you again!
One thing is for sure – Physician Assistants (PAs) are on the move – and whether you are looking for your first job, or a new one, it is incredibly important to make sure you are in a supportive environment both professionally with an adequate scope of practice as well as culturally with adequate acknowledgement of the value you bring as an excellent clinician to your organization.
It always hurts my PA heart to hear that a colleague is not being used to their full potential – or that their employer has little understanding of how to use a PA. One colleague shared that her employer uses her to cover a nurse in clinic and another shared that he often cannot get referring colleagues to even answer a page when he is working at the hospital. These unfortunate practice environments and attitudes resulting from a lack of understanding of the value a PA brings to the team, will cost those employers in retention and even more importantly, will cause patients to lose access to a valued clinician.
Finding the right cultural fit to honor your scope of practice as well as finding a practice environment that honors your skills and training is essential to ensure that you remain a valued member of that healthcare team. I did meet several PA colleagues who have been with their employers for more than 15 years – and my first thought is – that is Awesome! – They must not only treat you well, but you must also feel incredibly valued to stay.
Flexibility was another common theme today in the exhibit hall. PAs want to work where they want, when they want. We are aging as a profession and I met several colleagues who are certainly not ready to completely retire, but who want to transition toward a more flexible schedule or a new geography. Come visit us at the CompHealth booth and we can help you meet both your goals for great cultural fit as well as flexibility. The CompHealth team prides itself on great service and will work hard on your behalf. It will be great to meet you!Live from #AAPA16 - What is Important to Physician Assistants?
May 17th, 2016 2 Min readI am joining the CompHealth team again at #AAPA16 this year – and I am enjoying meeting many of you for the first time – as well as seeing many of you again!
One thing is for sure – Physician Assistants (PAs) are on the move – and whether you are looking for your first job, or a new one, it is incredibly important to make sure you are in a supportive environment both professionally with an adequate scope of practice as well as culturally with adequate acknowledgement of the value you bring as an excellent clinician to your organization.
It always hurts my PA heart to hear that a colleague is not being used to their full potential – or that their employer has little understanding of how to use a PA. One colleague shared that her employer uses her to cover a nurse in clinic and another shared that he often cannot get referring colleagues to even answer a page when he is working at the hospital. These unfortunate practice environments and attitudes resulting from a lack of understanding of the value a PA brings to the team, will cost those employers in retention and even more importantly, will cause patients to lose access to a valued clinician.
Finding the right cultural fit to honor your scope of practice as well as finding a practice environment that honors your skills and training is essential to ensure that you remain a valued member of that healthcare team. I did meet several PA colleagues who have been with their employers for more than 15 years – and my first thought is – that is Awesome! – They must not only treat you well, but you must also feel incredibly valued to stay.
Flexibility was another common theme today in the exhibit hall. PAs want to work where they want, when they want. We are aging as a profession and I met several colleagues who are certainly not ready to completely retire, but who want to transition toward a more flexible schedule or a new geography. Come visit us at the CompHealth booth and we can help you meet both your goals for great cultural fit as well as flexibility. The CompHealth team prides itself on great service and will work hard on your behalf. It will be great to meet you!Author
Lisa Shock
Lisa P. Shock, MHS, PA-C, is a seasoned PA who is the President and CEO of Utilization Solutions in Healthcare – a specialty consultant company for physician practices and hospitals, offering a wide range of services to help implement and improve upon the utilization of PAs and NPs in the health care system. Contact her at lisa@pushpa.biz