Special to the Journal
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) Center for Healthcare Leadership and Management announced the winners of the Employer of Excellence Awards during the AAPA Conference 2019 in Denver. Lynn Community Health Center was one of 15 organizations to receive the distinction, and the only federally qualified community health center.
The award program is designed to showcase organizations that have created and maintain an environment in which physician assistants can provide the very best care for their patients and are afforded opportunities for professional growth and leadership. The program is the first and only PA-specific award program available to organizations.
PAs are medical providers who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a principal healthcare provider. With thousands of hours of medical training, PAs are versatile and collaborative. PAs practice in every medical setting and specialty, improving healthcare access and quality.
“For me, the value in being a PA comes in the ability to be versatile and responsive to the needs of our patients,” said Brian Headley, PA, Director of Telemedicine, who was on hand to accept the award on behalf of the health center. “I feel fortunate to work in a place which has encouraged me to develop those skills to practice at the top of my license by exploring innovative ways to bring care to the underserved via telemedicine.”.
Lynn Community Health Center employs nine physician assistants who provide leadership in many areas including Telemedicine, Urgent Care, and Employee Health.
The PA profession is one of the fastest growing in the country. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the profession will increase 37 percent from 2016 to 2026, significantly faster than the average for all occupations. Currently, there are more than 131,500 PAs practicing in all 50 states, D.C., and U.S. territories.