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OSPA News

Summer Edition of the OSPA Update is now available.

Do You Do DOT Physicals? Important Message About Examiner Certification

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is proposing to establish a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) that will provide a list of certified medical examiners who are available to examine truck and motor coach drivers and effectively determine their physical qualifications to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).

Section 4116 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to establish a national registry of medical examiners who are qualified to perform examinations and issue medical certificates. The FMCSA National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) program would require medical examiners receive training and pass a certification test before being listed on the Registry – which will be available to commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and motor carriers to identify medical examiners authorized to conduct the CMV driver physical examination.

It is projected that the NRCME program would establish core curriculum specifications for training - based on a comprehensive Role Delineation Study - that addresses the range of knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform physical examinations of CMV drivers. The specifications would be available to qualified training organizations for development and delivery of FMCSA medical examiner training. However, this could be modified through the rulemaking process.

The Role Delineation Study will also be the foundation for the development of a certification test to assess the competence of the medical examiner. Long-term quality management of the program, accomplished through national accreditation, would include consistent application of the certification process, the avoidance of bias and the representation of stakeholders' needs.

The NRCME program is integral to FMCSA's medical program and would be the only program to qualify and list certified medical examiners that perform the required physical examination of interstate commerce CMV drivers. Until FMCSA completes the notice-and-comment rulemaking, medical examiners are not required to be listed on a registry or other database concerning qualifications to perform physical examinations of truck and bus drivers. At this time, FMCSA does not endorse any medical examiner training, education or certification programs.

For more information on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners program please visit http://www.nrcme.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Mandatory Pain Management Program

Due by January 2, 2009, medical providers must have logged 7 hours of pain-related CME. The first hour is a mandatory Oregon-specific course and is available online on the Oregon Pain Commission website as a link called “Start presentation” (click here for Pain Commission website).

The other six CME hours can be gained from pain management and/or the treatment of terminally ill and dying patients. According to the Oregon Board of Medical Examiners, any combination of CME coursework focusing on pain management and/or treatment of terminally ill and dying patients may be
used to fulfill this requirement (OAR 847-010-0100).

A downloadable version of the 1 hour Oregon-specific pain requirement has been made available for those not able to take the online version from the Oregon Pain Commission website.

  • For the downloadable version with 6 slides per page (9 pages), click here.
  • For the downloadable version with 2 slides per page (25 pages), click here. The 2 slides per page version is easier to read since the slides are text-heavy.

OSPA is working on a Pain Management CME to occur this winter. Keep checking back here for updated information or contact the OSPA office.

Posted November 26, 2005

 

Oregon PA Political Action Committee (PAC)

Want Change in Your Practice? Want Changes in the way your are regulated? Want to be more supportive of your Society but don't have the time to volunteer? Donate to the OR PA Political Action Committee (PAC) today!

The Political Tax Credit was created to encourage citizen involvement in issues that affect you. If you do not use your tax credit each year, the government will use it as they deem fit. You already vote, but after that government usage of your tax dollars is out of your hands. Don't you want to choose where your money goes?

Oregon law provides each couple a $100 tax credit ($50 per individual) for contributing to a qualified PAC such as the Oregon PA PAC. And unlike a contribution to a charitable organization, where you can subsequently file a deduction on your taxes, donations to a PAC are a credit on your taxes. Dollar for dollar, you get everything back.

The Board of Directors of the OR PA PAC are working PAs just like you. They look to issues that affect the laws and regulations under which you practice. The monies donated to the PAC are used for Oregon issues that affect you. Send an email to OSPA for your donation packet today!

Envelope Postcard Remit

Schedule II Prescriptive Rights for PAs

As of August 31st, the DEA now has authorized PAs to prescribe Schedule II medications.

You will still need to get your certificate from the DEA if you haven’t applied for this yet. If you have gone through the application process already, the DEA will be getting you an updated certificate. Once you have that certificate, you may prescribe.

Remember, you must first get approval from the BME for an increase in privileges prior to applying to the DEA for a schedule change. Without BME approval, you will be denied schedule changes and this may impact your ability to prescribe at all for a certain period of time

Thanks to all of you for enabling this to happen!

There is a fast and easy schedule change form you can access on the DEA website. You’ll need to complete this, sign it and fax or mail it back to the DEA office. You can probably contact them via phone and have them send you the same form. The number for the DEA office is 206/553-4040. Below is the web address to access the DEA schedule change form:

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/
drugreg/change_requests/sched_change.htm

PAs who have applied to the DEA can copy duplicate certificates with their Schedule II info:

Go to the website: www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov

Click on the tab “Registration” and then click on the option “Registration Changes” and then follow instructions.

Posted September 13, 2004; Updated November 30, 2004

Medicare Prescriptive Drug Program Information (starts February 2006)

Here are 3 downloadable pdfs about Medicare's prescriptive drug program which begins in February 2006. The first two are the same thing, just in different sizes. The font in the first one (horzntl) is harder to read, but it is only a half page size, whereas the second one (vert) is easier to read but is full page - you make that call. The last one is an algorithm.

Posted November 26, 2005

Join the Oregon Medical Association!

The Oregon Medical Association (OMA) supports physician assistants in providing high quality, accessible health care and invites you to join their team. Membership in the OMA provides an opportunity to join a larger community of health care providers who are dedicated to health care issues. If your supervising physician is an OMA member, you are eligible to join. And if your supervising physician is not yet an OMA member, encourage them to join!

Click here for more information regarding membership. Download a OMA Membership Application.

Posted August 3, 2006

Completion of Death Certificates by Physician Assistants

By now, everyone should have received information outlining the requirements for completion of Death Certificates from the Oregon Department of Human Services. If you have questions, or did not receive the printed materials, contact the Center for Health Statistics at 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 225, Portland, Oregon 97232. The phone number is (971) 673-1180, or you can visit their website for additional information.

 
 

© 2010 Oregon Society of Physician Assistants ● P.O. Box 2794 ● Hillsboro, OR 97123 ● Phone: 503-650-5864 ● Fax: 503-747-2825