HARRISBURG, PA — On Thursday, October 22, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed into law House Bill 1961, which authorizes the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Physician Assistants (PAs) Licensure Compact.

According to a memo circulated by co-sponsor Rep. Robert Merski, "PAs are vital to our healthcare landscape, providing direct patient care and extending the reach of physicians and other medical providers. These highly trained professionals can diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medication and work in numerous different specialties.

"As Pennsylvania continues to face a shortage of health care professionals, we must do all we can to attract and retain high-quality providers. One way to do that is through interstate licensing compacts, which allow licensed professionals to more easily work across state lines and through telemedicine by eliminating the need for individual state licenses," reads the memo. 

"That is why I am introducing legislation authorizing Pennsylvania to join the Physician Assistant Compact. This compact, which already has 18 participating states including Ohio, West Virginia, Virgina and Delaware, allows PAs to expand their employment and provide telehealth services in participating states. This move improves continuity of care for patients and PAs alike and reduces red tape and application wait times as separate state licenses are no longer needed," it reads. 

"For states, this compact promotes workforce development and strengthens our healthcare labor market while improving collaboration and expanding consumer protections through a nationwide database of background checks and disciplinary actions," it reads.