HAP Resource Center

Advocacy Correspondence: Support Memo, Senate Bills 870 and 871

October 6, 2020

TO:  Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee

FROM:  Stephanie Watkins, Vice President, State Legislative Advocacy

SUBJECT:  Support Senate Bills 870 and 871

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), on behalf of its members—more than 240 acute and specialty hospitals and health systems—appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed legislation to provide increased flexibility for health care facilities to utilize their physician assistant workforce to its fullest potential. Please support Senate Bills 870 and 871.

The changing nature of health care requires that all members of the health care team work together as part of an inter-professional team. SB 870 and 871 will cut unnecessary red tape and allow facilities to utilize their workforce more efficiently and effectively translating directly into greater access to care.

Keeping and developing a robust health care workforce has been identified as a major challenge for Pennsylvania by the health care community. HAP convened a task force of its members to conduct a thorough analysis of hospital workforce needs. The result of this effort culminated in the development of a recommendation report. Optimizing the skill set of health care practitioners and making the most of the existing health care workforce was a key recommendation. This includes ensuring that professional practice acts and regulations are progressive, and that a regulatory structure that enables health care professionals to practice to the fullest extent of their education, training, and license is in place.

Senate Bills 870 and 871 also provide physician assistants and physicians more flexibility to decide how they want to work together in their daily practice.

HAP appreciates the legislature’s efforts and commitment to promote improvements in the quality of care delivered within the commonwealth’s health care system. HAP supports the proposals within Senate Bills 870 and 871 that reduce barriers to care and provide the necessary flexibilities for the physician assistant workforce.

Please vote yes on Senate Bills 870 and 871.

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Topics: Access to Care, State Advocacy, Workforce

Revision Date: 10/6/2020

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