The relationship between a supervising physician and his or her physician assistant (PA) is a dynamic one that must be built on trust, mutual respect and inter-dependency. An ideal relationship is one that develops over many years, as such a longstanding association can greatly benefit you and your practice. It allows you and the PA to know one another’s practice styles, habits, limits and preferences. It also offers patients familiar with the PA to feel a continuity of care in seeing the same person regularly over a long period of time, thus building a strong patient following that can build equity in your practice and maximize productivity. Long-Term Retention: Beyond Compensation Retaining your PA is easy if you make it a priority. Some think that compensation alone is what makes or breaks the relationship, but in reality there are many factors that determine if your PA will stay at your practice long-term. One of the most important factors is how the PA is treated by the supervising physician. The longest, strongest and most productive dermatologist-PA relationships I know of are based on more then a chart review and a signature. The following are qualities of good supervising physicians based on those who have been able to retain the same PAs for many years. Be a Teacher You are a wealth of medical information who has much to teach your PA regardless of how long he or she has been practicing in the field of dermatology. It’s every healthcare provider’s responsibility to be a life-long learner. Your PA will appreciate it if you pull him or her into an examination room for interesting or unique cases. For example, if a patient presents with the “neatest case of mango contact allergy” you’ve seen this year, call your PA in to see the patient, and the PA will not only learn about the unique case and atypical presentation, but will appreciate that fact that you thought to include him or her. However, be careful not to “pump” the PA too hard with questions about the case, especially in front of the patient. You want your PA to be seen as knowledgeable to the patients and staff. Plus, you don’t want your PA to dread this learning experience. If you read an interesting article or study, tag it and share it with your PA. It may stimulate a great discussion between the two of you. Also consider attending some conferences together — go to the same seminars and then discuss the learning points over lunch. If you attend dinner programs given by pharmaceutical companies, ask to bring your PA along. This is a great opportunity to learn and discuss medical information. Be a Student One of my happiest moments at work was when my physician had a challenging case and included me among office providers brought in to share their opinions. This demonstrated to me that my supervisors valued my medical knowledge and truly considered me part of the team. In reality, my physician may have been partially testing me to see if I could come up with the same differentials and treatment plans as the others who contributed, but regardless of his motives, it made us both feel good, and it benefited the patient. Also, as a female, I am sometimes more knowledgeable about female-related issues such as cosmetics, waxing, feminine hygiene products or underwear styles available that may help a particular patient. My supportive physicians have no qualms about asking for my medical input. Maintain a One-on-One Relationship The relationship between a supervising physician and a PA should be an intimate, unique one built on trust and respect. Handle and interact with each PA in your office as an individual; do not treat them as a group. It is also important not to compare your current PA with any previously employed ones. Also, you should be the only person to deal with your PA in terms of contracts, duties, staffing, vacation and benefits; the office manager should not be the go-between on these issues. There are many reasons for this. First, your PA is a medical-level professional employee, and like other medical-level professional employees — such as employee physicians or locum tenens — should deal directly with you for such important matters. Secondly, if your staff sees that your PA reports to or must be “supervised” by the office manager, the staff may treat your PA as their peer rather then effectively supporting your PA’s ability to maximize his or her productivity for the practice. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, having the office manager be the go-between undermines the relationship between you and your PA. It’s like having a third person in a marriage. It may be easier for you to try to delegate these sometimes difficult tasks to your office manager, but it severely undermines and negatively impacts the physician-PA relationship. If your office manager is the go-between or oversees your PA in any way, the dynamics of the physician-PA relationship will be strained. Have an Open-Door Policy Always make it clear to your PA that he or she can approach you with anything. This certainly includes medical questions but should also include personal matters. Subtle or certainly blatant negative reactions when approached by your PA should be avoided. Subtle signs can include sighing, eye rolling or ignoring the PA’s request for your attention as you go see multiple other patients. More blatant off-putting reactions such as outright negative comments like asking, “Why are you getting me again?” or “Don’t you know this already?” or any complaint to other staff members must be avoided. You always want your PA to feel comfortable coming to you with medical questions about patients. Not doing so undermines your relationship and sets you up for a possible malpractice situation. No matter how great your PA is, he or she should still know you’re always there to provide medical backup. Your PA should also feel comfortable coming to you about problems with staffing, personal medical problems or problems outside the office. Not only will this show the PA that you care about him or her as a person, but can make you aware of upcoming changes to the PA’s schedule or behavior that will impact your practice. Show Respect, Trust and Professionalism The importance of how you treat your PA has already been touched on in the previous points but it can’t be under-emphasized. Your PA needs to know you respect and trust him or her as a medical professional. I’m shocked to hear about the stories of other PAs who are cursed at by their supervising physician. As a resident, would you have ever been cursed at by your attending? I sure hope not. That behavior would have been unprofessional and tyrannical. I’ve also heard of supervising physicians who involve their spouses in their dealings with their PAs. Again, by involving more people, you’re undermining the physician-PA relationship. Support Your PA’s Education and Professional Involvement Continued Medical Education To remain certified, PAs are required to complete a significant number of CME hours — 100 hours every 2 years; they also must take the boards again every 6 years. With this in mind, your PA should have adequate funds for continued medical education (CME) and at least 7 days of CME time per year. This will help to ensure that your PA is as knowledgeable and up-to-date as possible. By paying for your PA’s CME, you’re showing that you value education and medical knowledge and are setting the expectation for your PA to remain current and abreast of the best dermatology care. Professional Organizations As part of the PA’s benefit package, consider paying for the PA’s professional dues to at least three PA organizations. PA dues are low compared to what you as a physician have to pay. For example, the dues to be a fellow member in the Society of Dermatology PAs (SDPA) is only $100. Being a member of these professional organizations is important because it allows the PA to be alerted to changes in practice regulations, changes in state scope of practice and educational opportunities. Membership may also provide help for your office if you encounter a problem. For example, since my office pays for my membership to the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), we have access to the AAPA reimbursement department. My billing staff has communicated via phone and fax with reimbursement staff at the AAPA, which has helped our practice successfully fight denied claims. These professional societies also advocate for our patients. For example, representatives from the SDPA have lobbied side-by-side with the AAD for continued access to isotretinoin. If your PA has any interest in becoming a leader in these professional organizations, offer your full support, even if this means the PA may have to miss some days of work. Having the PA in a leadership role will build both your PA’s and the practice’s reputation in the medical community. It’ll show that you and your PA care about the healthcare community, including patients and practitioners. Be Generous When we talk about generosity, we’re obviously taking about compensation and benefits, but we can’t overlook the importance of generous gratitude. Everyone likes to be appreciated and thanked. It goes a long way to say to your PA, “Great pickup!” or “Mrs. X really liked her visit with you. Great job!” You would be surprised how far a kind word can go. Salary Guidelines In terms of appropriate salary, you and your PA can research what the average salary would be for other PAs with similar experience and practice dynamics. Information on this subject is available from the SDPA and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (yet another reason for your office to sponsor the PA’s membership). Feel free to contact me personally at AbbyJPA@comcast.net. If your PA is underpaid, and you think you’re getting a great deal, I can guarantee you it’s just a matter of time before your PA moves on to another practice. Bonus & Incentive Guidelines In addition, the most productive PAs I know receive a bonus based on productivity. Although the issue of productivity-based compensation could be an entire article (or book), the following can serve as a general guideline. Your PA’s bonus should be fair, reasonable and attainable. If the bonus threshold is too high, or keeps increasing as a multiplier of the base, it will always seem out of reach and actually discourage your PA from maximizing productivity. A fair bonus threshold would be what the PA directly costs the practice. (Do not include costs, such as rent or utilities, that would not change whether or not the PA was there.) Even after that threshold, the practice keeps the vast majority of the collections. You can easily be very generous with your PA at the same time as making a sustainable practice profit from your PA’s services. Having a PA also provides numerous non-financial benefits such as increased patient access to care, increased patient satisfaction due to the ability to be seen sooner and for work-in appointments, building practice equity and improving physician quality of life. Off to a Good Start I hope that you’re already doing many of the good things I reviewed. This would be a great first discussion piece to share with your PA. By sharing this article with them you’ll demonstrate your commitment to the physician-PA team approach to medicine at the same time you’re telling your PA you hope he or she will be a part of your practice for many years to come! Abby Jacobson practices dermatology in Lancaster, PA. She’s held numerous leadership positions in the American Academy of PAs, Pennsylvania Society of PAs, and Society of Dermatology PAs. She regularly lectures at PA programs and medical conferences.
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BEING A GOOD SUPERVISING PHYSICIAN: IT’S MORE THAN JUST CHART REVIEW
The relationship between a supervising physician and his or her physician assistant (PA) is a dynamic one that must be built on trust, mutual respect and inter-dependency. An ideal relationship is one that develops over many years, as such a longstanding association can greatly benefit you and your practice. It allows you and the PA to know one another’s practice styles, habits, limits and preferences. It also offers patients familiar with the PA to feel a continuity of care in seeing the same person regularly over a long period of time, thus building a strong patient following that can build equity in your practice and maximize productivity. Long-Term Retention: Beyond Compensation Retaining your PA is easy if you make it a priority. Some think that compensation alone is what makes or breaks the relationship, but in reality there are many factors that determine if your PA will stay at your practice long-term. One of the most important factors is how the PA is treated by the supervising physician. The longest, strongest and most productive dermatologist-PA relationships I know of are based on more then a chart review and a signature. The following are qualities of good supervising physicians based on those who have been able to retain the same PAs for many years. Be a Teacher You are a wealth of medical information who has much to teach your PA regardless of how long he or she has been practicing in the field of dermatology. It’s every healthcare provider’s responsibility to be a life-long learner. Your PA will appreciate it if you pull him or her into an examination room for interesting or unique cases. For example, if a patient presents with the “neatest case of mango contact allergy” you’ve seen this year, call your PA in to see the patient, and the PA will not only learn about the unique case and atypical presentation, but will appreciate that fact that you thought to include him or her. However, be careful not to “pump” the PA too hard with questions about the case, especially in front of the patient. You want your PA to be seen as knowledgeable to the patients and staff. Plus, you don’t want your PA to dread this learning experience. If you read an interesting article or study, tag it and share it with your PA. It may stimulate a great discussion between the two of you. Also consider attending some conferences together — go to the same seminars and then discuss the learning points over lunch. If you attend dinner programs given by pharmaceutical companies, ask to bring your PA along. This is a great opportunity to learn and discuss medical information. Be a Student One of my happiest moments at work was when my physician had a challenging case and included me among office providers brought in to share their opinions. This demonstrated to me that my supervisors valued my medical knowledge and truly considered me part of the team. In reality, my physician may have been partially testing me to see if I could come up with the same differentials and treatment plans as the others who contributed, but regardless of his motives, it made us both feel good, and it benefited the patient. Also, as a female, I am sometimes more knowledgeable about female-related issues such as cosmetics, waxing, feminine hygiene products or underwear styles available that may help a particular patient. My supportive physicians have no qualms about asking for my medical input. Maintain a One-on-One Relationship The relationship between a supervising physician and a PA should be an intimate, unique one built on trust and respect. Handle and interact with each PA in your office as an individual; do not treat them as a group. It is also important not to compare your current PA with any previously employed ones. Also, you should be the only person to deal with your PA in terms of contracts, duties, staffing, vacation and benefits; the office manager should not be the go-between on these issues. There are many reasons for this. First, your PA is a medical-level professional employee, and like other medical-level professional employees — such as employee physicians or locum tenens — should deal directly with you for such important matters. Secondly, if your staff sees that your PA reports to or must be “supervised” by the office manager, the staff may treat your PA as their peer rather then effectively supporting your PA’s ability to maximize his or her productivity for the practice. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, having the office manager be the go-between undermines the relationship between you and your PA. It’s like having a third person in a marriage. It may be easier for you to try to delegate these sometimes difficult tasks to your office manager, but it severely undermines and negatively impacts the physician-PA relationship. If your office manager is the go-between or oversees your PA in any way, the dynamics of the physician-PA relationship will be strained. Have an Open-Door Policy Always make it clear to your PA that he or she can approach you with anything. This certainly includes medical questions but should also include personal matters. Subtle or certainly blatant negative reactions when approached by your PA should be avoided. Subtle signs can include sighing, eye rolling or ignoring the PA’s request for your attention as you go see multiple other patients. More blatant off-putting reactions such as outright negative comments like asking, “Why are you getting me again?” or “Don’t you know this already?” or any complaint to other staff members must be avoided. You always want your PA to feel comfortable coming to you with medical questions about patients. Not doing so undermines your relationship and sets you up for a possible malpractice situation. No matter how great your PA is, he or she should still know you’re always there to provide medical backup. Your PA should also feel comfortable coming to you about problems with staffing, personal medical problems or problems outside the office. Not only will this show the PA that you care about him or her as a person, but can make you aware of upcoming changes to the PA’s schedule or behavior that will impact your practice. Show Respect, Trust and Professionalism The importance of how you treat your PA has already been touched on in the previous points but it can’t be under-emphasized. Your PA needs to know you respect and trust him or her as a medical professional. I’m shocked to hear about the stories of other PAs who are cursed at by their supervising physician. As a resident, would you have ever been cursed at by your attending? I sure hope not. That behavior would have been unprofessional and tyrannical. I’ve also heard of supervising physicians who involve their spouses in their dealings with their PAs. Again, by involving more people, you’re undermining the physician-PA relationship. Support Your PA’s Education and Professional Involvement Continued Medical Education To remain certified, PAs are required to complete a significant number of CME hours — 100 hours every 2 years; they also must take the boards again every 6 years. With this in mind, your PA should have adequate funds for continued medical education (CME) and at least 7 days of CME time per year. This will help to ensure that your PA is as knowledgeable and up-to-date as possible. By paying for your PA’s CME, you’re showing that you value education and medical knowledge and are setting the expectation for your PA to remain current and abreast of the best dermatology care. Professional Organizations As part of the PA’s benefit package, consider paying for the PA’s professional dues to at least three PA organizations. PA dues are low compared to what you as a physician have to pay. For example, the dues to be a fellow member in the Society of Dermatology PAs (SDPA) is only $100. Being a member of these professional organizations is important because it allows the PA to be alerted to changes in practice regulations, changes in state scope of practice and educational opportunities. Membership may also provide help for your office if you encounter a problem. For example, since my office pays for my membership to the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), we have access to the AAPA reimbursement department. My billing staff has communicated via phone and fax with reimbursement staff at the AAPA, which has helped our practice successfully fight denied claims. These professional societies also advocate for our patients. For example, representatives from the SDPA have lobbied side-by-side with the AAD for continued access to isotretinoin. If your PA has any interest in becoming a leader in these professional organizations, offer your full support, even if this means the PA may have to miss some days of work. Having the PA in a leadership role will build both your PA’s and the practice’s reputation in the medical community. It’ll show that you and your PA care about the healthcare community, including patients and practitioners. Be Generous When we talk about generosity, we’re obviously taking about compensation and benefits, but we can’t overlook the importance of generous gratitude. Everyone likes to be appreciated and thanked. It goes a long way to say to your PA, “Great pickup!” or “Mrs. X really liked her visit with you. Great job!” You would be surprised how far a kind word can go. Salary Guidelines In terms of appropriate salary, you and your PA can research what the average salary would be for other PAs with similar experience and practice dynamics. Information on this subject is available from the SDPA and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (yet another reason for your office to sponsor the PA’s membership). Feel free to contact me personally at AbbyJPA@comcast.net. If your PA is underpaid, and you think you’re getting a great deal, I can guarantee you it’s just a matter of time before your PA moves on to another practice. Bonus & Incentive Guidelines In addition, the most productive PAs I know receive a bonus based on productivity. Although the issue of productivity-based compensation could be an entire article (or book), the following can serve as a general guideline. Your PA’s bonus should be fair, reasonable and attainable. If the bonus threshold is too high, or keeps increasing as a multiplier of the base, it will always seem out of reach and actually discourage your PA from maximizing productivity. A fair bonus threshold would be what the PA directly costs the practice. (Do not include costs, such as rent or utilities, that would not change whether or not the PA was there.) Even after that threshold, the practice keeps the vast majority of the collections. You can easily be very generous with your PA at the same time as making a sustainable practice profit from your PA’s services. Having a PA also provides numerous non-financial benefits such as increased patient access to care, increased patient satisfaction due to the ability to be seen sooner and for work-in appointments, building practice equity and improving physician quality of life. Off to a Good Start I hope that you’re already doing many of the good things I reviewed. This would be a great first discussion piece to share with your PA. By sharing this article with them you’ll demonstrate your commitment to the physician-PA team approach to medicine at the same time you’re telling your PA you hope he or she will be a part of your practice for many years to come! Abby Jacobson practices dermatology in Lancaster, PA. She’s held numerous leadership positions in the American Academy of PAs, Pennsylvania Society of PAs, and Society of Dermatology PAs. She regularly lectures at PA programs and medical conferences.
The relationship between a supervising physician and his or her physician assistant (PA) is a dynamic one that must be built on trust, mutual respect and inter-dependency. An ideal relationship is one that develops over many years, as such a longstanding association can greatly benefit you and your practice. It allows you and the PA to know one another’s practice styles, habits, limits and preferences. It also offers patients familiar with the PA to feel a continuity of care in seeing the same person regularly over a long period of time, thus building a strong patient following that can build equity in your practice and maximize productivity. Long-Term Retention: Beyond Compensation Retaining your PA is easy if you make it a priority. Some think that compensation alone is what makes or breaks the relationship, but in reality there are many factors that determine if your PA will stay at your practice long-term. One of the most important factors is how the PA is treated by the supervising physician. The longest, strongest and most productive dermatologist-PA relationships I know of are based on more then a chart review and a signature. The following are qualities of good supervising physicians based on those who have been able to retain the same PAs for many years. Be a Teacher You are a wealth of medical information who has much to teach your PA regardless of how long he or she has been practicing in the field of dermatology. It’s every healthcare provider’s responsibility to be a life-long learner. Your PA will appreciate it if you pull him or her into an examination room for interesting or unique cases. For example, if a patient presents with the “neatest case of mango contact allergy” you’ve seen this year, call your PA in to see the patient, and the PA will not only learn about the unique case and atypical presentation, but will appreciate that fact that you thought to include him or her. However, be careful not to “pump” the PA too hard with questions about the case, especially in front of the patient. You want your PA to be seen as knowledgeable to the patients and staff. Plus, you don’t want your PA to dread this learning experience. If you read an interesting article or study, tag it and share it with your PA. It may stimulate a great discussion between the two of you. Also consider attending some conferences together — go to the same seminars and then discuss the learning points over lunch. If you attend dinner programs given by pharmaceutical companies, ask to bring your PA along. This is a great opportunity to learn and discuss medical information. Be a Student One of my happiest moments at work was when my physician had a challenging case and included me among office providers brought in to share their opinions. This demonstrated to me that my supervisors valued my medical knowledge and truly considered me part of the team. In reality, my physician may have been partially testing me to see if I could come up with the same differentials and treatment plans as the others who contributed, but regardless of his motives, it made us both feel good, and it benefited the patient. Also, as a female, I am sometimes more knowledgeable about female-related issues such as cosmetics, waxing, feminine hygiene products or underwear styles available that may help a particular patient. My supportive physicians have no qualms about asking for my medical input. Maintain a One-on-One Relationship The relationship between a supervising physician and a PA should be an intimate, unique one built on trust and respect. Handle and interact with each PA in your office as an individual; do not treat them as a group. It is also important not to compare your current PA with any previously employed ones. Also, you should be the only person to deal with your PA in terms of contracts, duties, staffing, vacation and benefits; the office manager should not be the go-between on these issues. There are many reasons for this. First, your PA is a medical-level professional employee, and like other medical-level professional employees — such as employee physicians or locum tenens — should deal directly with you for such important matters. Secondly, if your staff sees that your PA reports to or must be “supervised” by the office manager, the staff may treat your PA as their peer rather then effectively supporting your PA’s ability to maximize his or her productivity for the practice. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, having the office manager be the go-between undermines the relationship between you and your PA. It’s like having a third person in a marriage. It may be easier for you to try to delegate these sometimes difficult tasks to your office manager, but it severely undermines and negatively impacts the physician-PA relationship. If your office manager is the go-between or oversees your PA in any way, the dynamics of the physician-PA relationship will be strained. Have an Open-Door Policy Always make it clear to your PA that he or she can approach you with anything. This certainly includes medical questions but should also include personal matters. Subtle or certainly blatant negative reactions when approached by your PA should be avoided. Subtle signs can include sighing, eye rolling or ignoring the PA’s request for your attention as you go see multiple other patients. More blatant off-putting reactions such as outright negative comments like asking, “Why are you getting me again?” or “Don’t you know this already?” or any complaint to other staff members must be avoided. You always want your PA to feel comfortable coming to you with medical questions about patients. Not doing so undermines your relationship and sets you up for a possible malpractice situation. No matter how great your PA is, he or she should still know you’re always there to provide medical backup. Your PA should also feel comfortable coming to you about problems with staffing, personal medical problems or problems outside the office. Not only will this show the PA that you care about him or her as a person, but can make you aware of upcoming changes to the PA’s schedule or behavior that will impact your practice. Show Respect, Trust and Professionalism The importance of how you treat your PA has already been touched on in the previous points but it can’t be under-emphasized. Your PA needs to know you respect and trust him or her as a medical professional. I’m shocked to hear about the stories of other PAs who are cursed at by their supervising physician. As a resident, would you have ever been cursed at by your attending? I sure hope not. That behavior would have been unprofessional and tyrannical. I’ve also heard of supervising physicians who involve their spouses in their dealings with their PAs. Again, by involving more people, you’re undermining the physician-PA relationship. Support Your PA’s Education and Professional Involvement Continued Medical Education To remain certified, PAs are required to complete a significant number of CME hours — 100 hours every 2 years; they also must take the boards again every 6 years. With this in mind, your PA should have adequate funds for continued medical education (CME) and at least 7 days of CME time per year. This will help to ensure that your PA is as knowledgeable and up-to-date as possible. By paying for your PA’s CME, you’re showing that you value education and medical knowledge and are setting the expectation for your PA to remain current and abreast of the best dermatology care. Professional Organizations As part of the PA’s benefit package, consider paying for the PA’s professional dues to at least three PA organizations. PA dues are low compared to what you as a physician have to pay. For example, the dues to be a fellow member in the Society of Dermatology PAs (SDPA) is only $100. Being a member of these professional organizations is important because it allows the PA to be alerted to changes in practice regulations, changes in state scope of practice and educational opportunities. Membership may also provide help for your office if you encounter a problem. For example, since my office pays for my membership to the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), we have access to the AAPA reimbursement department. My billing staff has communicated via phone and fax with reimbursement staff at the AAPA, which has helped our practice successfully fight denied claims. These professional societies also advocate for our patients. For example, representatives from the SDPA have lobbied side-by-side with the AAD for continued access to isotretinoin. If your PA has any interest in becoming a leader in these professional organizations, offer your full support, even if this means the PA may have to miss some days of work. Having the PA in a leadership role will build both your PA’s and the practice’s reputation in the medical community. It’ll show that you and your PA care about the healthcare community, including patients and practitioners. Be Generous When we talk about generosity, we’re obviously taking about compensation and benefits, but we can’t overlook the importance of generous gratitude. Everyone likes to be appreciated and thanked. It goes a long way to say to your PA, “Great pickup!” or “Mrs. X really liked her visit with you. Great job!” You would be surprised how far a kind word can go. Salary Guidelines In terms of appropriate salary, you and your PA can research what the average salary would be for other PAs with similar experience and practice dynamics. Information on this subject is available from the SDPA and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (yet another reason for your office to sponsor the PA’s membership). Feel free to contact me personally at AbbyJPA@comcast.net. If your PA is underpaid, and you think you’re getting a great deal, I can guarantee you it’s just a matter of time before your PA moves on to another practice. Bonus & Incentive Guidelines In addition, the most productive PAs I know receive a bonus based on productivity. Although the issue of productivity-based compensation could be an entire article (or book), the following can serve as a general guideline. Your PA’s bonus should be fair, reasonable and attainable. If the bonus threshold is too high, or keeps increasing as a multiplier of the base, it will always seem out of reach and actually discourage your PA from maximizing productivity. A fair bonus threshold would be what the PA directly costs the practice. (Do not include costs, such as rent or utilities, that would not change whether or not the PA was there.) Even after that threshold, the practice keeps the vast majority of the collections. You can easily be very generous with your PA at the same time as making a sustainable practice profit from your PA’s services. Having a PA also provides numerous non-financial benefits such as increased patient access to care, increased patient satisfaction due to the ability to be seen sooner and for work-in appointments, building practice equity and improving physician quality of life. Off to a Good Start I hope that you’re already doing many of the good things I reviewed. This would be a great first discussion piece to share with your PA. By sharing this article with them you’ll demonstrate your commitment to the physician-PA team approach to medicine at the same time you’re telling your PA you hope he or she will be a part of your practice for many years to come! Abby Jacobson practices dermatology in Lancaster, PA. She’s held numerous leadership positions in the American Academy of PAs, Pennsylvania Society of PAs, and Society of Dermatology PAs. She regularly lectures at PA programs and medical conferences.
