ANNUAL COMMITTEE REPORT

Presented for the General Membership Meeting

PSPA’s 27^th Annual CME Conference

September 25-28, 2002

Committee Name: Regional Affairs Committee

Committee Chair: Kitty Martin, PA-C

Committee Members:

Region 1—Laura Delliquadri, PA-C and Joanne Hagar, PA-C

Region 2—Tracy Wright, PA-C and John Onderko, PA-C

Region 3—Jeff Fahnestock, PA-C and Nancy Michel, PA-C

Region 4—Tina Lisman, PA-C, Elizabeth Matlack, PA-C, and Robin Mozenter, PA-C

Region 5—Kathy Attieh, PA-C and Mary Bundle, PA-C

Region 6—Paula Holmes, PA-C and Kim Trahan, PA-C

Region 7—Kim Lecker, PA-C and Cory Sefchick, PA-C

Region 8—Mark Courtney, PA-C and Marianne Taft, PA-C

Purpose of Committee:

Regionalization has come about in response to the growing need of our dynamic and expanding profession in Pennsylvania. The Society is the standard bearer for physician assistants within the Commonwealth, projecting the image of the profession to the public, other medical professionals, state regulatory officials and legislators. To effectively carry out this mandate, the PSPA has divided the state into eight geographic regions and will assist in the continuing development of these regions to nurture distinct, local organizations capable of carrying out the vital tasks necessary to promote the profession. Regional groups of PAs can more effectively assess their professional status in the community and respond more efficiently in providing information necessary for public and professional education than the state organization can. Methods of addressing objectives such as local CME, public and professional education, and legislative concerns should stem from the creative approach of PAs within the region tempered by the political and professional realities of the area. However, since the impact of activities within an individual region have far reaching effects on PAs across the state, regional activities must be conducted within the policy guidelines of the PSPA and AAPA. To operate in any other manner is to project a mixed and confusing image of the PA profession to the public, other health professionals, and legislators.

What the committee accomplished in 2001-2002:

See the individual region reports for details.

What the committee plans to accomplish in 2002-2003:

· Continue to provide quality CME at no charge to local PAs and provide a setting for PAs to network and discuss local issues.

· Establish uniformity to regional meetings

· Make up a monthly agenda for PSPA business meetings held at regional events to ensure that PSPA members are kept informed about issues of importance to the profession in a timely manner.

· Post regional meetings on the website

· Recruit volunteers from the regional meetings to serve on various PSPA committees