Telemedicine is not a new entrant in the clinical care space, however it has remained relatively on the sidelines until recent years. While 2020 was sure to continue the growth of telemedicine, the COVID-19 health crisis has rapidly accelerated this trajectory. Suddenly, organizations large and small – as well as independent practitioners – are looking to telemedicine out of necessity and market demand. Which forces the urgency of the question: as a profession on the leading edge of patient care, how are physician assistants able to learn about and employ the technologies involved in delivering telemedicine?
Telemedicine is a powerful tool with the potential to change the healthcare system as we know it, both now and into the future.
PAs in Virtual Medicine and Telemedicine (PAVMT) was founded in 2018 in response to the growing trend toward telemedicine. A small team of PAs practicing in the telehealth space realized that few of their professional colleagues seemed to be doing anything similar. In response, they formed PAVMT to expand the use of telemedicine across the PA profession at large, and to help ensure the PA profession is a major player in this growing field. With a mission focused on telehealth education, advocacy, legislation and employment, PAVMT has established itself as the leader in the telemedicine space for PA’s.
Looking ahead, PAVMT is ready to support PA professionals as they look to implement telemedicine practice across the full spectrum of patient care. We understand that any measured approach to virtual healthcare must include comprehensive PA malpractice insurance that includes telemedicine practice coverage.
By Desmond Watt, PA-C
Desmond Watt is President and co-founder of PAs in Virtual Medicine and Telemedicine (PAVMT), an AAPA affiliated Special Interest Group. PAVMT and CM&F have partnered together to foster the growth of PAs in the industry by providing access to low-cost, reliable PA malpractice insurance.
