Physician assistants see patients in this video provided by the American Academy of Physician Associates.
As a physician assistant (PA-C) with 14 years of experience, an educator and a leader in Kentucky's PA community, I am deeply frustrated by the persistent resistance to modernizing PA practice laws in our state. Recent discussions surrounding Senate Bill 88 (SB 88) in the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee have once again highlighted the influence of a small but powerful group of physician leaders who, despite lacking firsthand experience working with PAs, continue to misrepresent our profession.
Their opposition is largely driven by the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA), backed by the American Medical Association (AMA), and their so-called "scope creep" campaign. This misleading effort implies that PAs are attempting to practice beyond our training, when in reality, we are simply asking to practice at our full scope -- exactly as we were educated and trained to do. We are not seeking independent practice; we are seeking a collaborative, team-based approach that mirrors how health care actually functions in hospitals and clinics across the country.
Many physicians and health care organizations in Kentucky do understand the value of PAs. Institutions like Kroger Health, Norton Healthcare, CHI, CCA and AARP support expanding PA practice laws, recognizing the essential role we play in patient care. I have worked alongside numerous physicians who have directly expressed their appreciation for PA training and expertise. In fact, 90% of physicians nationwide agree that PAs enhance health care delivery, and 86% say PAs expand access to care.
Yet, KMA continues to push a narrative that is out of touch with reality. Only 15%-18% of U.S. physicians are even AMA members, and that number has plummeted from 75% in the 1950s. I would be curious to know what percentage of that small group has actual experience working with PAs or truly understands our training. Yet, we are expected to accept that this minority of physicians speaks with authority on PA capabilities and scope -- and that their stance represents the majority opinion of physicians nationwide.
Kentucky ranks last in physician assistant practice laws
Kentucky has consistently ranked worst in the nation for PA practice laws. We are the only state where PAs cannot even prescribe or order Schedule II medications -- despite many of us being trained and experienced in emergency and critical care settings. This restriction is not only outdated but harmful to patients in need.
At a time when Kentucky is facing a severe health care shortage, the only solution KMA and AMA offer is "more physicians." But where are these physicians? Medical school pipelines take years to produce new doctors, and many leave the state after training. Meanwhile, we have a ready, capable and highly trained PA workforce eager to step in and help -- but we're being blocked by unnecessary regulations.
Kentucky Medical Association made false claims about PAs
During a recent SB 88 committee hearing, KMA representatives made numerous false and uneducated claims about PAs. One argument is that PAs are seeking independent practice. This is false. Senate bill 88 seeks to change "supervision" language to "collaborating" to better reflect true health care practices with a collaborative approach.
Another key argument from KMA is that moving to a collaborative agreement would increase liability for physicians. A study in the Journal of Medical Regulation found the opposite: Moving to collaborative practice laws actually decreased medical malpractice claims against physicians and had no impact on PA claims.
Furthermore, more than 90% of Kentuckians support updating PA laws to allow health care systems to fully utilize their workforce. The public wants better access to care -- and PAs are a crucial part of the solution.
The path forward includes SB 88
SB 88 is not a final solution, but it is a step in the right direction. If passed, it would help keep PA graduates in Kentucky instead of pushing them to states with better practice environments. More importantly, it would improve patient access to timely, high quality care -- something we should all agree on.
The real "scope creep" is not coming from PAs -- it's coming from organizations that prioritize physician exclusivity over patient needs. Kentucky lawmakers have an opportunity to break free from outdated, self-serving narratives and move toward a modern, team-based approach to health care. It's time to put patients first.