A favor on Friday!

Hello Friends & Colleagues!

Its Friday and I am sure you are very focused on this evening or weekends game.  I hope you’ve heard about the good news from the recent PATS Eblast - Our Licensure bill was granted first consideration in senate committee!

I am asking you to dedicate just 5-10 minutes of your Monday schedule to call a PA state senator and urge them to support SB 957 & 967 you will not believe how easy it is and how much it means to our profession. If you would appreciate greater respect as an athletic training healthcare professional, I would hope you can recruit at least three other Athletic Trainer’s to do the same.

Thank you in advance for your time,

Sincerely,

Scott Dietrich
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Elmer Letterman

 

How to call your Senators

Step 1 - Find your PA Senators (find) and ask them to support  Senate Bill #957- Osteopathic Board & Senate Bill #967 MD's (TOMLINSON)

Step 2 - Call the PA Senator for your district
once you are connected; use the script below to express your support
Please select only 1or 2 bullet points – you do not need to read them all!!

-----

Hello my name is [NAME] with [EMPLOYER’S NAME] and I am a constituent of Senator [NAME].

I am calling to express my support for Athletic Training Licensure legislation in the senate, which recently received first consideration approval in the senate appropriations committee.  The senate bills - SB 957 & SB 967 introduced by Senator Tomlinson establish licensure for Athletic Trainers (ATs).

Ø  Licensure is regarded as the highest form of regulation and would benefit and protect the general public of Pennsylvania.

Ø  Athletic Training is recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession.  ATs are already recognized in the Pennsylvania Medical Practice Act (of 1985) which is the law that relates to practicing medicine in PA in Section 51.1 which means the state does NOT need to create a new regulating body to oversee our profession. 

Ø  Athletic Training remains the only health care provider group who is “certified” and not “licensed” under the Pennsylvania State Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine.

Ø  Athletic Trainers working in the Commonwealth care for and enhance the health and welfare of our clients through prevention, recognition, management, and rehabilitation of injuries. There are approximately 3000 Certified Athletic Trainers practicing in Pennsylvania which is currently the largest number of ATs of any state in the nation.

Ø  Currently there are 39 states that regulate athletic trainers through licensure in the nation. In fact, Pennsylvania is 1 of only 5 states to be regulated through certification.

Again, I ask that you vote in support of SB 957 & SB 967 for this legislation will help preserve the health and safety of physically active youth and adults throughout our state.

Thank you!

** You might need to indicate that you want a response from the senator!

Step 3 - Complete the survey below, and tell us what they said.

PATS Legislative Response Google Survey -Link

Vote for NATA President BEFORE Sept 28th 2011!!

For the first time ever, we have an exceptional opportunity to put a PATS member into the position of NATA President!!

The NATA Presidential Election started, Thursday, September 1^st and ends September 29th 2011 with long time PATS member and past District II Director, Jim Thornton, of Clarion University of Pennsylvania a final candidate. If elected, Jim would be the first PATS member or District II member to hold the position of NATA President.

You should receive an email today from the NATA with a unique registration code and instructions for casting your vote for your choice between Terry Noonan, MS, ATC, ART, or Jim Thornton, MS, ATC, PES. If you do not receive an email, please contact Holly McCauley at hollym@nata.org. For more information about each of the candidates go to: http://www.nata.org/2011-Presidential-Election

PLEASE - Share this with your Senators! - Bill referred to committee 5/3/11.

Greetings Senator                      ,

I am writing you today to ask for your support of Senate Bill 957 & 967 which was referred to your CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE committee on May 3, 2011.  This is an important piece of legislation is necessary to protect and enhance the health and welfare of our clients (physically active youth & adults) in the PA Commonwealth.  

Athletic Training remains the only health care provider group who is "certified" and not "licensed" under the Pennsylvania State Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine. Currently there are 39 other states that regulate athletic trainers through licensure in the nationwide. Pennsylvania is 1 of only 4 to be regulated through certification.

The primary goal of Licensure for Athletic Trainers in Pennsylvania is to define the relationship between the athletic trainer and physician more clearly.

Benefits to Pennsylvania citizens include:

•        Consumer protection, reduce the ability of unlicensed individuals who attempt to provide athletic training services to the public.

•        Increased access to the care of an athletic trainer due to the clarification of the population eligible for referral from a physician.

•        Decrease credentialing confusion that currently exists since athletic trainers will be licensees alongside all of other health care professionals under the Pennsylvania State Boards of Medicine(SB 967) and Osteopathic Medicine(SB957), such as Physician Assistants, Respiratory Therapist, Acupuncturists, Perfusionist, and Nurse-Midwives.

•        Greater access to athletic trainers for preventative medical services, potentially decreasing their overall medical costs.

Benefits to Physicians:

•        Firmly places the role of the athletic trainer under the direction of the physician.

•        Provides physicians with increased access options for using an athletic trainer thus reducing the number of injuries and dropping the costs of health care.

•        Many physicians currently refer physically active patients to athletic trainers for athletic training services. Due to the unclear definition of physically active, some physicians do not refer patients who may benefit from these services to athletic trainers or may refer patients inappropriately due to confusion.

Recent Education and Training Changes that support Licensure for Athletic Trainers

The current Athletic Training Practice Act dates back to December 2001. Since that time there have been several meaningful changes to the educational preparation and instruction of athletic trainers. Some of these include:

•        Defined educational standards consistent with other allied health professions and validated via national accreditation standards (2004).

•        Elimination of the internship route to certification in 2004.

•        Well delineated national educational and skill competency requirements validating the proposed scope of athletic training practice included in the proposed legislation.

•        Since 2001, athletic trainers have been able to apply their athletic training skills to populations beyond sports teams through expanded practice settings, including physician's offices, hospitals, and industrial settings.

- Licensure for athletic trainers is needed in Pennsylvania in order to best protect the public.

*** This will greatly improve the ability of many athletic training students from your district to establish careers here in PA as opposed to looking for jobs in other states.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and I urge you and the rest of the committee to bring this to the members of the senate.

Your Name, ATC
employer
Your County Resident

New Concussion Screening legislation introduced in PA!

Concussion Screening legislation introduced in PA!

http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2011/04/former_football_player_rep_bra.html

April 2011 - NEPA Athletic Training Update!

Hello Northeast PA Athletic Trainers'

PATS - Hike To Harrisburg
April 12th 2011

We have a lot of outstanding things going on right now... 

1) PATS Elections are Open - Link

2) CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES- Ask for their support.
      a) House HB930 & HB 932 -Link to pdf
      b) Senator SB 957- Link link to pdf

     ** Find your state reps here -Link

Themes for discussion:  
     - One of  only 5 states left without licensure - Link
     - Greater protections, beyond the use of the name/credential
          Link (click last question)
     - Higher quality of care - without creating a new board to regulate ATCs
     - Ensures qualification to provide "medically supervised return to play" following concussion.
     - No added expense to the patients

Note: We've garnered more support for these bills than ever before! Possibly because of the increased attention to concussions! I've been at the capitol over the past 4 years and representatives from both sides of the aisle appear ready to help us make this happen! -- Your voice really matters to your representatives -- PLEASE call, email or visit them.


3) New Marketing Campaign Set to Launch -stay tuned!

4) JOIN US IN LANCASTER! - Link

     PATS, Inc. - Annual Meeting
     Lancaster, PA
     Thursday, June 9th - Saturday, June 11th

5) PATS mTBI Forum INVITE YOUR PHYSICIAN! - Link

PLEASE CONSIDER INVITING YOUR TEAM PHYSICIAN TO THIS SESSION

* Friday, June 10, 2011

* Lancaster Convention Center In Lancaster!

     - Its included in PATS Conference Costs

     - A Forum ONLY Rate is available

     - CEU's and CME's will be offered!

Please help spread the word.

6) Special Thanks to NATE ROBERTS, MS ATC  (Muhlenberg) for organizing Athletic Training Appreciation Night at Detzi's Tavern.
    * Thanks to all who attended
    * We had a great time and raised money to help support our profession!
    * New sites and volunteer event organizers, always welcome!

Athletic Training Scholarship Run!!

We hope that you and your student-athletes are interested in helping us raise money for a great cause. A regional athletic training scholarship! This flat grass/gravel path is sure to be a fun run, and if 3.2 mi (5K) is too far join us for the 1mi fun walk/run!  - Register Now!

Lots of fun gifts and prizes - Fastest foursome, and best dressed!  There is also a ...
Thank Your Athletic Trainer Banner Contest -see contest rules! Best Banner will win a $125 cash prize!

SAVE-THE-DATE Athletic Trainer Appriciation Night!!

I am happy to invite you and your family out to Detzi's Tavern on Thursday, March 31st 2011 for Athletic Trainer Appreciation Night. Please print the attached flier and I hope to see you there!  

Google Maps - Link