Modernization of the PA Board

HB 4028 (Plesa)

Bill Team Lead:Ryan English

Moves the Texas Physician Assistant Board from an advisory board of the Texas Medical Board (TMB) to a self-governed board utilizing the agency infrastructure of the Texas Medical Board. This does not expand the scope of practice of a PA. PAs are not seeking independent practice; instead, PAs are pursuing professional parity in how PA practice is governed and regulated in Texas.

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BACKGROUND

• An self-governing board would enable PAs to propose and adopt our own rules and not go through another profession, especially one that can be considered competition in some settings.
• When the PA profession was established approximately 50 years ago, PA practice governance, regulation, and licensing were most often delegated to state medical boards.
• The creation of an independent PA board would empower the profession to self-govern, which is part of the natural evolution of any highly skilled and well-regarded profession. Self-governance is consistent with the PA profession’s continued commitment to patient-centered, team-based practice in collaboration with their physician colleagues. A profession’s self-governance and self-regulation are the best practice standards that ensure its success. This expectation should be enacted equitably across all professions and granted to PAs.
• This does not expand the scope of practice of a PA. PAs are not seeking independent practice; instead, PAs are pursuing professional parity in how PA practice is governed and regulated in Texas. Dating back to its inception in the 1960s, the PA profession has been based on a culture of teamwork and collaboration.
  

• 10 other medical professions in Texas have the assurance that their regulatory boards are composed of members from within their own profession who have a stake in its governance, PAs in Texas do not have this assurance.

 

THE ASK

Amend Section 204.051 (a), Section 204.056 (c), of the Occupations Code to move The Texas Assistant Board from an advisory board of the Texas Medical Board (TMB) to a self-governed board utilizing the agency infrastructure of the TMB. The composition of the Texas PA Board will remain unchanged and continue to include physicians, public members, and PAs. 

RATIONALE

The creation of state PA boards would empower the profession to self-govern, which is part of the natural evolution of any highly skilled and well-regarded profession. Self-governance is consistent with the PA profession’s continued commitment to patient-centered, team-based practice in collaboration with their physician colleagues. PAs are not seeking independent practice; instead, PAs are pursuing professional parity in how PA practice is governed and regulated in Texas. A profession’s self-governance and self-regulation are the best practice standards that ensure its success. This expectation should be enacted equitably across all professions and granted to PAs. Dating back to its inception in the 1960s, the PA profession has been based on a culture of teamwork and collaboration. The PA profession will always be committed to preserving and enhancing these values and is looking forward to modernizing PA practice governance in Texas to guarantee that success.

 

TEXAS MEDICAL PROFESSIONS WITH INDEPENDENT BOARDS

• Physical Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Dentists
• Nursing
• Chiropractors
• Professional Counselors
• Physicians
• Pharmacists

Complete bill language, sponsor information, and bill history can be found here.