by Lindsey Hopkins AA-S and Claire Wainwright AA-S
Four weeks ago I went online and paid the $25 to become a student member of the Georgia Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (GAAA). As many students have asked, “Why bother?”.
I know I’m going to have a great job once I graduate, but is that enough? What’s the future of our profession? Is my job as secure as I would like to believe it is??
After attending the GSA meeting this weekend, I realize just how critical it is to be involved in shaping the future of our practice. It’s easy to always think we’re safe and to always think that “it’ll never happen to me”; but as the President of the ASA mentioned today, “If you’re not sitting at the table, then you’re on the menu!!”. So, what on earth does this mean?
Well, you may or may not know that much about Obama Care…. But this healthcare reform will greatly transform our scope of practice and ultimately affects how we are reimbursed. Why does this affect me? It will affect how much money will be paid to hospitals treating Medicare patients (and obviously you know that the baby boomers are a boomin’) and therefore affects how much money will be available to pay hospital employees, including you. In addition, CRNA’s have already been granted reimbursement privileges in 17 states for anesthetics they deliver without the supervision of an anesthesiologist (under the “opt-out” law). Unlike AA’s, CRNAs are 100% reimbursable which challenges the ACT (Anesthesia Care Team) model. It challenges your job and it challenges the quality of patient care…. The President of the ASA presented staggering data this weekend showing hospitals without physician anesthesia have a 33% higher post-op mortality rate of their patients!
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Today, now, we need to support our anesthesiologists and fellow anesthesiologist assistants!! As a relatively new profession, AA’s are still a small voice in the political community, especially compared to our CRNA’s. Becoming a member of GAAA is really important!! The more members that we have, student and certified AA’s, the stronger our political voice can be in Georgia. So, why is it that Georgia is saturated with AA’s yet so few support our AA political action committees??
Join the GAAA today! As a student, your support will impact the future of your profession!! I admit, even after writing this, I know very little about the political challenges and all of the political actions by our AA communities. BUT! I know enough to know that I HAVE TO BE INVOLVED! This is MY future and MY profession…. This is YOURS too!
Lindsey Hopkins & Claire Wainwright are Second Year Anesthesiologist Assistant students at South University. Lindsey is a native of Georgia, and hopes to secure a career in her home state upon graduation. She has shown dedication to the profession through advocacy, and is currently nominated for student representative for the GAAA. Claire is beginning to call Georgia home after 3 years, but originally hails from England. She is currently working to develop a philanthropic committee within the AAAA Student Component through community service initiatives.