Background
The American Academy of PAs is the national professional society for PAs and was established in 1968. Across all medical and surgical specialties, in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and the uniformed forces, it represents a profession with more than 150,000 PAs. The AAPA promotes and informs on behalf of the field and the patients that PAs assist. We strive to promote PAs’ professional development, individual achievement, and recognition. We also strengthen their capacity to raise patient-centered healthcare standards, availability, and affordability.
Impact
The organization has a massive impact on the further PA clinical experience, as it creates an environment where professionals and future specialists could share their experience and provide guidance for further development and cooperation. By encouraging the creation of a vast stakeholder network, AAPA encourages meaningful partnerships that benefit the physical assistants’ community and the healthcare sector in general. Increased autonomy, empowerment, and unity positively impact job satisfaction and patient outcomes and help professionals avoid burnout.
There is a list of core values for AAPA:
- Leadership and Service – We foster a sense of collective purpose to guide the profession, emphasize member service, and strengthen PAs’ capacity to serve patients and their communities.
- Unity and Teamwork – We value the strength of our members, constituents, and partner organizations, and we collaborate to impact health by speaking with a single voice on behalf of our profession.
- Accountability and Transparency – We listen, deliver outcomes, take responsibility for our actions, and work in a setting of openness and trust.
- Excellence and Equity – We pledge to uphold the highest standards while aiming to remove inequalities and obstacles to high-quality healthcare (AAPA, 2021).
Hence, by adhering to those values, The AAPA leads the field of PAs and gives its members the tools they need to grow their careers and improve patient health.
Future
The future of the organization according to the 2021-2025 plan is to continue contributing to the industry’s renaissance. PAs can now forge ahead in fields like telemedicine and administration and assume higher levels of leadership and responsibility, which puts them in a position to add more value to the field and patients. AAPA will create a movement with the help of bold leadership, a diverse and united community, and the involvement of PAs from all across the nation. This movement will enable the organization to find how to assist PAs in providing resources in an environment that is getting more saturated with information.
Reference
AAPA (2021). AAPA’s 2021 to 2025 Strategic Plan. Web.