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Bill would rename 'physician assistants' as 'physician associates' in state law; sponsors, PAs say scope won't change
Summary
Sen. David Rocheford introduced legislation to replace the term "physician assistant" with "physician associate" in state law; supporters said the change aligns New Hampshire with national and state PA organizations and does not alter a PA’s scope of practice.
Sen. David Rocheford introduced Senate Bill 285 to change statutory references from "physician assistant" to "physician associate," a nomenclature update supporters say better reflects the profession's education and role on modern health teams.
The sponsor and multiple physician associates and association representatives told the committee the proposal was the unanimous recommendation of a bipartisan legislative study committee formed after passage of a separate bill last year. "The bill in itself is is pretty straightforward. It just changes the word assistant to associate wherever a physician assistant is referenced in state statutes and requires executive departments to do the same in rules,"…
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