 Provided by ReachMD
Recap of the AAPA House of Delegates:
The Effect on Practicing Physician Assistants
on Partners in Practice
The House of Delegates establishes philosophies and beliefs for the physician assistant profession. It was a busy time for delegates at this years AAPA Conference in Atlanta. Several legislative issues passed, some failed, some had to be tabled and some major issues didn't even come up. What changes were made and how will these decisions affect PAs across the country? Dr. William Fenn, immediate past vice president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, speaker of the House of Delegates and professor at Western Michigan University, reviews what transpired at the meeting with host Lisa Dandrea Lenell. They also explain the process and how PAs can get involved.
 Lisa Dandrea Lenell is a physician assistant and the director of operations for an internal medicine practice in Illinois. She is passionate about bringing physician assistant and nurse practitioner issues into the spotlight, focusing on awareness and understanding of the professions. Mrs. Lenell is a graduate of the Physician Assistant Program at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. She has continued her relationship with Midwestern University, working as adjunct faculty. She has published in the prestigious peer-reviewed medical journal Dermatologic Surgery and has been featured in several professional journals.
Dr. William H. Fenn serves as speaker of the House of Delegates and vice president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). He has served on the Board of Directors since 2003. He is a tenured professor at Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, where he teaches courses in the physician assistant (PA) program, including dermatology, bioethics, professional and legal issues, and research and evidence-based medicine. He also teaches and supervises doctoral students in the university's interdisciplinary health doctoral program. A practicing PA for nearly 30 years, Fenn also holds a PhD in health policy. He is currently on the Michigan Board of Medicine and is chair of the separate PA licensing Board. He was appointed to both boards by a governor of one party and uncommonly re-appointed by a governor of the other party. Fenn became a certified PA in 1981 and has since held several clinical and administrative positions, and has written more than 60 articles for numerous health care and education publications nationally and internationally. He also is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who served for more than 20 years in several leadership positions, and served during Operation Desert Shield/Storm from 1990 to 1991. In 1999, Fenn was awarded one of AAPA's highest honors, the House Outstanding Service Award. In 2007, he was recognized as a Distinguished Fellow for his service to AAPA. He is a fellow member of the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants (MAPA), where he was awarded PA of the Year in 2003 and has held the positions of chief delegate and vice-president, as well as foundation trustee and treasurer. He also is a fellow of the Society of Dermatology PAs, a life member of the AAPA Veterans Caucus, and was a founding fellow and president-elect of the Veterans Affairs PA Association.
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The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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