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Senate committee weighs changing "physician assistant" to "physician associate" in state law
Summary
A Senate hearing heard testimony for and against Senate Bill 285, which would replace the term "physician assistant" with "physician associate" in New Hampshire statutes and require executive branch regulations to use the same term; committee members voted to re-refer the measure for further consideration.
Sen. David Rochefort introduced Senate Bill 285, saying the measure would change the term "physician assistant" to "physician associate" in state law and require state agencies to make the same change in their regulations.
The measure, Rochefort said, stems from a legislative study committee and from concerns that the word "assistant" misrepresents the education and responsibilities of PAs. "Physician assistant would imply that they are assisting physicians," Rochefort said, adding that many PAs practice with an independent scope of care in primary care and emergency settings.
Supporters, including Sarah Lesley, vice president of the…
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