West Virginia legislators are looking to pass Senate Bill 650, which would allow physician assistants to own their own practice.
If passed, physician assistants would be able to apply for a medical corporation or professional license through the state's board of medicine and own a practice. Currently, physician assistants are not authorized to practice without a collaborating physician.
Nick Vance, president of West Virginia's Association of Physician Assistants, sat down with Becker's to discuss the effects the new legislation would have on physician assistants and access to patient care.
He recalled a physician assistant who helped run a primary care clinic in Beckley, W.Va., whose collaborating physician unexpectedly passed away. After they were unable to find a physician or nurse practitioner to take over, the clinic closed.
"People lost their jobs and patients were without healthcare and had to go find new providers in the area," Mr. Vance said. "It was just sort of a mess, whereas if this bill would be in effect, that's not something … that would happen."
With shortages of healthcare workers and access in rural areas of the state, Mr. Vance believes the bill could help expand care.
"I work in a rural area," Mr. Vance said. "Our local hospital has had several primary care physicians leave just within this last year … There's definitely, definitely a shortage of primary care providers … I think a lot of patients would be getting more care if this bill would pass."
The bill was passed by the state's Senate Health Committee and the full Senate. It will be voted on by the state's House of Representatives March 7.