OTP Initiatives: The new Great Divide—does it need to be?

 

As a professionally diverse community of healthcare providers you couldn’t find a hotter topic of debate these days than OTP. As we continue to evolve and grow, we continue to face challenges and threats both at the internal and external level. And as a group, we are familiar with these ever evolving and/or recurring challenges that present as barriers, hurdles, etc. while often times demanding change of direction or even collective agreement on these various threatening perspectives.

OTP initiatives, depending on which camp you stand is something some of our own appear to be struggling with. On one hand the proponents seem to like the idea of its immediate relevant practice benefits in the marketplace, yet, conversely, the opponents seem to fret some uncontrollable potential repercussions such as physician groups becoming unsupportive or distancing themselves from the PA community. Proponents feel this initiative will level the playing field in the marketplace, by assuring us employment parity. Therefore, they hope and wish to move forward. Sadly, some opponents & even some PA organizations are openly favoring the status quo ( i.e. PAEA, ARC-PA )—not exactly a visionary position by these leading organizations. Myopically they view OTP as a de-stabilizer mostly of our outdated statutes & legal co-dependency in our working relationships with physicians. This in-fighting is becoming scary stuff, by creating confusion & fostering paralysis analysis in many levels.

But more scarier is the fact that some physician organizations( i.e., The AMA, the AFPA,etc.) are trying to forestall our rising momentum by using delegitimization tactics by undermining our calling into question of our role and efficacy. It’s obvious in this gate-keeping bullying role, all they’re trying to do is maintain/foster our longstanding legal co-dependency. Thus, now we find ourselves in the fight of our lives since restriction of trade can become a very tangible reality in our careers.

For OTP supporters we know how imperative & crucial this is—we must not allow the ongoing perpetuation of their self-serving selfish agendas, of lies and misinformation.

We have seen plenty of “intimidating “naysayers” about our profession throughout our evolution and development. Rest assured these situations are not new to us. Rest assured, that we will never cower from inside detractors nor from outside non-supporters.

I know that our firm resolve will prevail because we have celebrated so many other victories for so many other threats and/or struggles we have faced. I/We OTP supporters must stand strong and not waiver in these times of turmoil and internal strife regardless of how bleak or detrimental OTP detractors characterize it..

The time is now, not to hesitate but to move forward and modernize PA practice Acts all across the land. Let’s do this together,  recognizing OTP is the next chapter in our history, rightfully ours…we have earned it!