Ohio became the latest state to embrace the PA Licensure Compact, a multistate portability agreement that allows physician assistants (PAs) to practice in any of the participating states without the need for an additional license. The compact now includes 13 states, which means an activation threshold has now been reached, according to the compact commission’s website. The entity can begin work to operationalize the compact with data systems and onboarding, which could take another year or more. After that, PAs can apply for a privilege to practice. The application process will involve verifying that the PA has a license in a member state and is eligible for compact participation.
What’s good: Once PAs are able to practice across state lines in the participating states, they would be able to deliver care in-person or most likely via telehealth, helping to alleviate clinician shortages. Additionally, the model legislation for the compact specifies that PAs who treat patients in another state can only do so under the remote state’s laws and regulations, so the portability privilege would not conflict with any existing scope of practice laws.