In this issue:
NC Continues to Address Substance Use Disorders
2016 PA of the Year: Marc Katz
Vote in NCAPA Election
NCAPA Endowment Student Grant Winner
Join Us in Greenville: Joint Injection Workshop
Student Leadership Retreat
Celebrate PA Week!
NC Loves PAs – and so do we!
NCAPA Endowment Seeking Applicants for Board of Trustees
Regional Chapter Updates
NCAPA Regional Networking Events
PA Student Commissioned into Navy’s Health Services Collegiate Program
Antibiotic Stewardship: Calling All Allies!
Comprehensive Online Review for the PANCE/PANRE
Welcome Members!
NC Continues to Address Substance Use Disorders
by Sarah Wolfe, Assistant Vice-President, McGuire Woods Consulting
With a report recently coming out that four of North Carolina’s cities were within the top 25 cities for prescription opioid abuse in the nation, it can be assumed that state officials will not slow down any time soon when it comes to finding solutions to combat opioid abuse.
Consequently, on provider accountability, the North Carolina Rules Review Commission gave final approval in August to the rule changes for the new requirement for physicians and PAs to take CME hours in controlled substances prescribing, to take effect July 1, 2017. Under the new rules, PAs must earn two hours of CME in controlled substances prescribing during each two-year cycle. The requisite applies to all PAs that prescribed controlled substances (including non-opioids) during their two-year CME cycle, and a licensee that did not prescribe any controlled substances since they last renewed their license is exempt from the requirement for that two-year cycle.
Click here to view additional information about the controlled substances CME requirement.
Additionally, earlier this year the state legislature took added steps by including a provision in the state budget that will mandate all health care providers who are authorized to prescribe controlled substances to register with the North Carolina Controlled Substances Reporting System (CSRS). Once the requirement goes into effect, all licensees must register for access to the CSRS within 30 days of initial issuance or annual renewal of their license with the North Carolina Medical Board. The exact effective date of the new mandate is not currently known, as it will not go into effect until certain upgrades are done to the CSRS and it is fully connected to the statewide health information exchange system.
Click here to read information about the CSRS or to register with the system.
In order to assist law enforcement and family and friends of a person with a drug addiction, the legislature, with support from the Governor, enacted legislation that authorizes needle exchange programs and another bill that permit a statewide standing order for naloxone. The bulk of H972: Law Enforcement Recording/ No Public Record primarily focuses on body worn cameras by law enforcement, but it also authorizes governmental and non-governmental entities to operate needle and hypodermic syringe exchange programs. Programs to be established for this purpose must aim to reduce the spread of bloodborne diseases, reduce needle stick injuries by law enforcement officers and other energy personnel, and encourage individuals who inject drugs to enroll in an evidence-based treatment program.
Furthermore, due to the enactment of S734: Statewide Standing Order/Opioid Antagonist, naloxone will no longer be found primarily ambulances and hospitals, as it has been for decades. S734 authorized the state health director to prescribe opioid antagonist via statewide standing order. This means that if a family member is concerned about a fellow family member’s opioid addiction, they can now go to the pharmacy and request naloxone without a prescription. North Carolina is the third state in the nation to issue a statewide standing prescription order for naloxone.
Other initiatives of the state include the Governor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, the Crisis Solutions Initiative, and the Governor’s Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking Prevention and Treatment Task Force. Furthermore, Governor Pat McCrory proclaimed August 31 to be “Overdose Awareness Day.”
2016 PA of the Year: Marc Katz
by Sandy Pierce, PA-C, NCAPA Membership Committee Chair
Marc Katz has been very active in the many aspects of NCAPA. His 2016 nomination for PA of the Year grew out of a very active 2015, during which time he served his third term as NCAPA president. Marc stays one jump ahead most of the time, and 2015 was no exception as he began his term by establishing a comprehensive strategic plan for the Academy. The plan was to encompass three years; however he was able to facilitate accomplishing more than half of it during his one year as President. 
In 2015, Marc:
– participated in the production of a video for NCAPA that received an AAPA Outreach and Advocacy honorable mention;
– traveled throughout the state to meet with PA students to share his knowledge, experience and love of the profession
– provided AAPA Category-1 CME for NCAPA;
– continued to serve the NC Medical Board and helped spearhead efforts to establish a PA-designated seat on the NCMB;
– participated on a variety of NCAPA committees, including Government Affairs and Conference Planning.
Marc does work as a PA delivering quality ENT care to a full schedule of patients. He is also an avid runner and makes opportunities to allow running to fit in his busy schedule. Marc uses some of this same energy and commitment to complete any task set before him to the best of his ability. His heart and soul has been in the promotion of the PA profession, particularly through advocating for the profession. We as PA’s in North Carolina owe much to Marc and the Government Affairs Committee who work tirelessly to provide and protect our practice environment.
It is with respect and gratitude that the 2016 NCAPA Awards Committee recognizes Marc Katz as NCAPA’s 2016 PA of the Year. His plaque was awarded during the membership meeting at NCAPA’s 40th Annual Summer Conference. Please join us in thanking him for his service to the NCAPA and the PA profession whenever and wherever you may see him across the state.
Vote in NCAPA Election
All NCAPA Fellow and Associate members whose membership was current as of August 29, 2016 should have received an email with an individual password and a link to an electronic voting site on September 1st. If you did not receive your electronic ballot, please check your spam filter. If you cannot find this email, please contact Kat Nicholas at kat.nicholas@ncapa.org so that she can check your membership status and send you your password and the link to the ballot.
Open positions in this election are President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, two (2) Directors-at-Large, and one At-Large member of the Nominating Committee.
You can read about the candidates on NCAPA’s website and you may also read their platform statements by clicking on their names on the electronic ballot. Voting closes at 11:59pm on Friday, September 30.
NCAPA Endowment Student Grant Winner
Congratulations to Amber Race, Elon PA-S 2 who received a scholarship from the North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants (NCAPA)!
Ms. Race acknowledged what the award means to her “I am extremely grateful to have been selected as the 2016 Elon University recipient of the NCAPA Student Endowment Grant. I applied for this grant to facilitate loan repayment of my PA education, and to further my goals of delivering high quality, evidence-based care to patients. I would like to extend my thanks to the North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants for selecting me to receive this grant.”
Program director Patti Ragan echoed her appreciation on behalf of the program. “We value the leadership and advocacy of NCAPA on behalf of our profession, and especially recognize their support for students who will become our future colleagues.”
The NCAPA Endowment has foundation grants available for one student from each PA program in North Carolina. The applicant must be a student member of NCAPA and entering or enrolled in their clinical year in the fall of the current year.
Robert Wooten, PA-C, President of the NCAPA Endowment, presents Ms. Race with the award.
Join Us in Greenville: Joint Injection Workshop
Saturday, October 22, 2016
9:00am-noon
Eastern Area Health Education Center
Greenville, NC
Registration is now open for a hands-on Joint Injection workshop to be held at Eastern Area Health Education Center in Greenville, NC. This workshop will appeal to a broad range of practitioners who are developing joint and soft tissue injection techniques.
Frank Caruso, MPS, PA-C will be reviewing anatomical landmarks using a unique teaching style. Participants will demonstrate the ability to implement evidence-based practice guidelines in clinical decision-making as well as demonstrate appropriate injection techniques using our joint injection models.
All participants are encouraged to dress comfortably for this workshop.
This program has been reviewed and is approved for a maximum of 3 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME Credit by the Physician Assistant Review Panel. Physician Assistants should claim only those hours actually spent participating in the CME activity.
Student Leadership Retreat
NCAPA cordially invites all clinical year North Carolina PA students to attend the NCAPA Student Leadership Retreat on October 8, 2016. Our new NCAPA Student Leadership Retreat is focused on students preparing to graduate and the challenges ahead. We will share information on how to be involved in advocating for the profession as well as how to be aware of the basic logistics involved in being a newly practicing PA. Registration at no cost to students! Lunch is provided.
The agenda will include:
- “How to talk with your Legislator”, Sarah Wolfe, McGuire Woods, NCAPA Government Affairs
- “The Dos and Don’ts of Life as a New PA-C”, Marc Katz, PA-C, NCAPA Immediate Past-President
- “From Student to Clinican” Panel with Q&A
- “Mindfulness in Practice”, John Belinski, PA-C, CME4Life
All students eligible to attend were sent an official invitation earlier this month. Be sure to RSVP soon as enrollment is limited to 7 students per program. If you did not receive the invitation but feel you should have or have any questions prior to the event, do not hesitate to contact Kat Nicholas, NCAPA Director of Membership and Marketing.
Celebrate PA Week!
PA Week, which takes place October 6-12 every year, is dedicated to celebrating PAs and the PA profession. AAPA has many resources to make this PA Week the biggest yet! Download PA Week posters and brochures about PAs and distribute to your family, friends, and employers. Use a PA Week profile icon on social media and so much more. Show your pride about how PAs have transformed the practice of medicine in North Carolina! Find all the resources here.
NC Loves PAs – and so do we!
All of us at NCAPA are so grateful for your continued dedication to the health and well being of the citizens of North Carolina. We would love to hear about your own appreciation for a particular PA or your love of being a PA. We are accepting submissions of your stories, to share on our Facebook page , website, and future issues of The Pulse. We also would love to share any photos that you feel exemplify the PA profession. Please email any submissions to Kat Nicholas at kat.nicholas@ncapa.org.
NCAPA Endowment Seeking Applicants for Board of Trustees
The NCAPA Endowment is currently seeking applicants for the Board of Trustees. The term is for three years and begins upon selection. Read about the Endowment here. If you are interested in applying for a position on the Board of Trustees, you can find the application form here.
Regional Chapter Updates
- Metrolina Association of Physician Assistants (MAPA) will be holding a free, one day CME Conference on Saturday, October 1st with lectures beginning at 8:00am. There will be 6 hours of CME offered, 3 in Ophthalmology and 2 in Otolaryngology. The conference will be at the Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat in Charlotte. For more information, please visit www.metrolinapa.org.
- Far West NC Physician Extender Associates (FWNCPEA) 3rd Annual Fall Conference will be on Saturday, October 8th from 8:00am to 4:00pm. The conference is FREE and includes continental breakfast and lunch. It will be held at the Balsam Mountain Inn, Balsam, NC. 6 hours of AAPA (approval pending) category 1 CME. Register at www.FWNCPEA.com.
- Piedmont Association of Physician Assistants (PAPA) will hold their 2016 Fall Seminar on Saturday, October 15th from 7:30am to 4:00pm. The conference is for PAs and NPs only and is FREE of charge. Breakfast and lunch included. 6 hours of AAPA (approval pending) category 1 CME. Visit their website for more information.
NCAPA Regional Networking Events
NCAPA has repeatedly heard from our members of the importance of networking opportunities. We began hosting social networking events in 2015 and, based on the positive feedback, have scheduled even more for 2016! Our first such event was held at the Stead Center, prior to our Recertification Exam Review Conference. But if you missed that one, we have more opportunities available to network, share ideas, and provide support with your fellow PA or PA student:
- Thursday, September 22nd we will host an event in Asheville at Pack’s Tavern from 7-9pm (PLEASE RSVP BY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19)
- Friday, September 30th, an event will be held at Maggianos in South Park, Charlotte from 7-9pm
- Friday, October 14th, an event will be held at Noble’s Grille in Winston-Salem, from 7-9pm.
- Friday, October 21st, an event will be held in Greenville, NC, location and time TBD; will update as soon information becomes available.
If you are interested in attending any of these events, please rsvp here. Hope to see you soon!
PA Student Commissioned into Navy’s Health Services Collegiate Program
by Haven Hottel, Vice President of Communications, Campbell University
LILLINGTON, North Carolina—The U.S. Navy commissioned Daniel Miles, a second-year student in Campbell University’s physician assistant program, into its Health Services Collegiate Program during a ceremony Tuesday afternoon on Campbell’s Health Science Campus.
Miles is one of only 10 students in the nation selected for this exclusive program, which provides a salary, housing allowance, and additional benefits to medical, dental, PA, and other qualifying students while they complete their health professional studies.
“It’s an honor to be selected for this program to serve as a PA,” said Miles, whose wife read him the oath during the commissioning ceremony held in the newly opened Tracey F. Smith Hall of Nursing & Health Sciences. “I get to serve my country while doing what I love.”
Miles is on track to graduate in July. Upon graduation, he will serve as an active duty Navy officer and PA for at least three years.
“We’re proud of Daniel,” said Dr. Thomas P. Colletti, chair and director of Campbell’s PA program, which is a division in the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. “He’ll represent us well here and throughout the world. He’s a wonderful candidate with the highest standards.”
Antibiotic Stewardship: Calling All Allies!
from NC Dept. of Health and Human Services
Provider Commitment Campaign: Studies have shown that displaying posters on antibiotic stewardship can effectively increase appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use. Healthcare providers and facilities can pledge to become an Antibiotic Ally by registering to promote antibiotic awareness and displaying commitment posters throughout their facilities. See the poster here.
Comprehensive Online Review for the PANCE/PANRE
from Exam Master
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Special discounted access available through NCAPA, only $95 for a 3-month subscription!
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*Exam Master® has no affiliation with National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) or Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Welcome Members!
Welcome to our renewing and our brand new members!
The following members have joined or renewed their membership since our last issue. Thank you all for your support of NCAPA and all PAs in North Carolina!
Angela Bowman, Fancy Gap, VA
Stephen Branum, Huntersville
Loyce Brown, Greensboro
Dennis Chrismon, Burlington
Kevin Chung, Winston-Salem
Jamie Collins, Johnstown, PA
Jenny Daniel, Chapel Hill
Claudia Diaz, Concord
Gary Fennel, Rockville, MD
Autumn Fingerson, Durham
Roger Gomez, Kernersville
Melissa Herrington, Charlotte
Jaime Holbrook, Winterville
Ingram Jansen, Fayetteville
Charles E Kober, Greensboro
Angela Lewis, Durham
Margaret McConnell, Stevensville, MD
Tara Noble, Charlotte
Robert Pate, Fayetteville
Heather Penny, Lincoln University, PA
William Rehl, Marietta, OH
Martin Ricart III, Harrisburg
Emily Richey, Greenville
Daniel Sanza, Gastonia
John Schoonmaker, Oak Island
Elizabeth Simpkins, Meyersdale, PA
Hannah Singleton, Asheville
Tonique Tabron, Wilson
Melinda Wekony, High Point
Robert Wheeler, Durham
Thomas Wilson, Marshall
Stephanie Wolfe, Greensboro
