News / Updates / Links

Membership Update - Recently there have been issues with the MAPA website and renewing memberships. This is something that is currently being addressed. If you have had issues renewing your membership, please contact the MAPA office  by e-mail or phone at (877) YES-MAPA and we would be happy to help you renew your membership. We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for your continued suppor of MAPA!
 

Legislative Day 2012 - Cancellation

Due to unforeseen circumstances surrounding the legislative climate in Lansing, the MAPA Legislative Day has been postponed to a future date yet to be determined.  "At this point, many factors have come into play that influenced our Board's decision to postpone this event", MAPA's President, Brian Gallagher, PA-C said. "Even though MAPA has made great strides in addressing key legislative issues, the Academy is currently awaiting new draft legislation that will correct a technical omission in the recently passed PA 210 of 2011. Thus, we find ourselves in a holding pattern until this legislation is drafted and introduced. We also considered the impact of election-year politics that reduces the likelihood that any contentious legislation will be passed.  Therefore, given the status of our corrective legislation and the feeling that a future date would be more advantageous for engaging the legislators, the MAPA Board was reluctant to dedicate Academy funds to an event that would not produce its desired impact. The Board will monitor the progress of our legislation and alert the membership when the circumstances change and a new date is scheduled."

NOTICE: Temporary hold on Expansion of DO/PA Schedule II Scripts

As of January 27, 2012, the Michigan Pharmacists Association sent out an alert to their member pharmacists instructing them not to fill Schedule II controlled substance prescriptions, from from DO supervised PAs, "in quantities greater than a seven-day supply and only when discharging a patient from a hospital, free-standing surgical center or hospice." This, as many PAs know, is the familiar rule language that has been in existence since 1999 and was the major focus of a recently passed law that sought to allow PAs the ability to prescribe the full spectrum of schedule II through V drugs in any setting as a delegated act from their supervising physician. Unfortunately, the legislative bill drafters inadvertently left out the corresponding language for DOs in the new law, which is why the Pharmacists Association has put a halt to the filling of the DO/PA schedule II scripts in settings other than a hospital, etc. At this point, the State of Michigan has not, to the best of our knowledge, sent out a warning to DOs or to pharmacists on this matter. Even so, the issue from the perspective of the pharmacists is that third-party payers will not reimburse under these circumstances knowing that there is a discrepancy in the law. To correct this, MAPA is working with Senator Marleau to introduce a bill that will add the language to the DO section of the law. Also, concurrently, the MD and DO licensing boards have passed "house cleaning" measures that will remove the current restrictive rules on schedule IIs. Completing this rule process will take some months to finalize as it works through the administrative process. We are also having the Attorney General look at this to see if, in the meantime, the DO/PA scripts can be written based upon legislative intent. Please know that this hold is a temporary situation until these processes can be completed. Our best guess, at this point, is that these actions could possibly be finalized by early Fall.

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Public Act 210 of 2011 & DEA Schedule Modifications

On Tuesday, November 8, 2011, Governor Rick Snyder signed SB 384 into law. The new law is now known as: Public Act 210 of 2011. This new law removes barriers to health care access... More

DEA Requirements / Forms

Go to this link to download sample forms that can be used by PAs or Facilities 

MAPA Agreement with
Association Management Resources (AMR) of Ann Arbor

MAPA is now headquartered in Ann Arbor as of January 1, 2012         More

Snyder appoints five members to Task Force on Physician’s Assistants

LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointment of five members to the Michigan Task Force on Physician’s Assistants.

The task force regulates physician’s assistants in Michigan and provides a system to determine and approve the qualifications of physician’s assistants.

“As we work to increase access to medical care, physician’s assistants are taking on an ever-larger amount of responsibility for patient care,” Snyder said. “These appointees will work to make sure patients receive care from qualified, committed physician’s assistants.”

April Adado, of Holt, is a physician assistant in family practice with J.P. Wulff, D.O. She earned an associate degree in respiratory therapy from Lansing Community College, a bachelor’s degree in health studies from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Central Michigan University. Adado will represent physician assistants and replaces Rene Hernandez.

Sara Basso, of Iron River, is a partner at Basso & Basso Legal Services, where she specializes in arbitration and mediation as well as public policy and regulatory areas. She previously served as the director of policy for the Michigan Office of the Racing Commissioner, a special hearing officer for the former Michigan Department of Civil Service, CEO of Yocone Café & Deli, and as a private investigator. Basso earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s College and a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Basso will represent the general public and replaces Sherry Lepird.

Joel Kutz, of Clinton Township, is the Michigan owner and regional manager of Physician Assistant Solutions, where he works with employers and physician assistants to find jobs and promote the profession. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Wayne State University. He will represent physician assistants and replaces Bernard O’Brien.

John Lopes, of Mt. Pleasant, is an assistant professor in the Physician Assistant Program at Central Michigan University. He previously worked with the Oldbury and Smethwick Primary Care Trust in the United Kingdom. Lopes holds a certificate of completion and diploma from the Physician Assistant Program of the U.S. Air Force School of Health Care Sciences. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, a master’s degree in technology education from Eastern Illinois University and a doctorate in health science from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He will represent physician assistants and replaces Karl Wagner.

William Palazzolo, of Dexter, is the pre-op clinical director and lead physician assistant for the Department of Surgery at the University of Michigan Hospital. He earned a bachelor’s degree in nutritional and food science and a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Wayne State University. He will represent physician assistants and fills a vacancy left by the resignation of Michael Davis.

Appointees will serve four-year terms expiring Dec. 31, 2015, and are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.MAPA Management Contract with PSI ends on December 31, 2011 

Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery Members Appointed

LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointment of Catherine Heise, of Plymouth, and James Kilmark, of Belleville, to the Michigan Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery.
“These individuals bring unique experiences and backgrounds to the board,” Snyder said. “I look forward to their work and diligence in ensuring Michigan’s citizens are given proper care and treatment.”
For full details on release click here.

MAPA is Proud to Announce a NEW Partnership with AMR

November 30, 2011
On November 30, 2011 the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants (MAPA) signed an Administrative Services Agreement with Association Management Resources (AMR) of Ann Arbor to take over the daily operations, conferences and publications for MAPA. We are excited to work with the dynamic, knowledgeable, efficient and professional staff that AMR has to offer and eagerly anticipate the growth of MAPA as a result.
On December 31, 2011, our business partnership with the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) Physician Services Incorporated-Association Management (PSI-AM) will come to an end and close out more than a decade of service which helped to elevate MAPA to the next level as a professional organization. PSI-AM elected to terminate our agreement and Michael Sparkia, MSMS Director of Subsidiary Services, submitted this statement: “It should be noted that the decision to terminate this agreement is based solely on a strategic business decision and has no bearing on the good relationship that has been fostered between MAPA and the Michigan State Medical Society.”
We will be transitioning to AMR through the month of December and will be fully live on January 3, 2012.The MAPA offices will be closed from Friday December 23, 2011 – Tuesday January 3, 2012 to complete the transition.
This transition is a great and wonderful opportunity for MAPA to expand and improve its services to our members. We ask for your patience during this transition and promise that 2012 will bring new and exciting things to MAPA!

MAPA Fall CME Conference

October 13-16, 2011
Record number of attendees attended the 36th Annual MAPA Fall CME Conference at the beautiful Grand Traverse Resort near Traverse City. 
Conference attendees obtained 21 hours of category 1 CME while raising money and supplies for local charity, Camp Quality Michigan (a year-round support network for children with cancer and their families - see www.campqualitymi.org), raising record levels of funding for the Physician Assistants of Michigan Political Action Committee and witnessing the beauty that fall in Michigan provides.  We look forward to the 37th Annual Fall CME Conference at the Soaring Eagle Conference Center in Mt Pleasant from October 11-14, 2012.
See photos in the Member Center Photo Gallery.

Sept 11, 2010

For the first time in history the only three professions licensed to practice medicine in Michigan met together with common purpose.  Leadership from The Michigan State Medical Society, The Michigan Osteopathic Association, The Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants and a liaison from the American Academy of Physician Assistants met to address how best to serve the medical needs of the State of Michigan in light of the looming physician shortage and the expanded access to health care due to The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  The groups agreed that health care delivery through the physician-directed medical team that includes non-physician providers is a proven, cost effective and efficient model.  The three organizations developed the following consensus statement as a result:

"We are mutually committed to continuing to improve safe access to health care by providing patient-centered quality care within an integrated, coordinated, physician-led team."

The coordinated effort and its effectiveness has been noticed throughout the nation.  Recently, the AMA President released a mission statement based upon the work done here in Michigan.

Call for MAPA newsletter articles. 

All Michigan PAs are involved in communities.  Some have served in Iraq and some helped out with devastations caused by natural disasters.  Let's get more of this into our newsletters! 
Let us know of PAs in your area who are going above and beyond the call of duty to serve America.  Also, let us know of any exciting news you think deserves some recognition and publicity.  Email articles to mapa@michiganpa.org or call 517-336-1498 if you have any questions.  Please include your full name and contact information with your article submission.

June 2012 - due May 21st

Once we receive your article, it will be proof read and approved by the committee.  You will then get an email confirming your article will be used. Thank you in advance for your submission.  We look forward to it.

Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants

The Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants is the essential resource for the Physician Assistant profession in Michigan and the primary advocate for Physician Assistants in the state. Since 1974, the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants has been dedicated to the promotion of professional growth, enhancement of the PA practice environment, and preservation of the PA/physician team concept.

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