CORPORATE SUPPORT

What is a Surgical PA?
Why are they important for my product or pharmaceutical?

For the last six years, the Surgical Physician Assistant has been the FASTEST GROWING segment of the physician assistant workforce (American Academy of PAs 2005 Membership Survey). According to the US Department of Labor , the PA is the third fastest growing occupation overall.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR CORPORATE RELATIONS BROCHURE (PDF FORMAT).

The Surgical Physician Assistant provides a wide range of general and specialized health care. While exercising autonomy in medical decision-making, the Surgical PA can participate in all phases of the care of the surgical patient. This includes preoperative consultation, intro-operative (first assistance), and post-operative care ranging from the post-operative care unit, the ICU to even long term follow up in the home.

Surgical PAs practice in every specialty in which a physician can practice. We have members in general surgery, pre-operative testing, trauma, critical care, anesthesia, bariatric, vascular, cardiac, orthopedic, and transplant surgeries, emergency medicine, wound care, and more. According to the AAPA, there are more than 45,000 PAs in clinical practice alone. The American Association of Surgical PAs represents the 9,000 PAs who work in a surgical environment. According the AAPA, 45,000 PAs wrote more than 170 million prescriptions last year. Surgical PAs also play a vital role in the selection of surgical equipment, including instruments, barrier devices, drains, etc.

PAs play a role on education committees, medical supply, and equipment committees and more. Surgical PAs make decisions about which products to use. A hospital selects its surgical equipment based on the demands of the surgeon. More and more, this decision is falling to the PA.

PAs are reimbursable under Federal Health Laws that regulate Medicare. Most insurance companies also cover services performed by the physician/PA team. The Medical Group Management Association 2001 Physician Compensation survey found that the average total charges for a surgical PA in that year was $321,225. So PAs are active players on the health care team!

As you may know, 2003 marked an historic time in health care. All residents trained in the US are now restricted to working an eighty-hour work week. The legislation actually requires that the resident be sent home at a given hour. It has also been documented that the number of surgical residency applications from medical schools has been declining (Archives of Surgery, March 2002). With fewer residents and a cutback in work hours, who will be using you products “after hours?” We believe it will be the Surgical PA! Dr. Paul Freedman, a member of the American College of Surgeons Allied Health Committee has said that “PAs can be incorporated into teaching programs…and that full replacement of a 10% reduction in residency time would require 12,200 PAs.” Just imagine, that is 12,200 new people using your product or writing prescriptions.

AASPA represents the unique needs and interests of the surgical PA. Building a corporate support relationship with us helps the PA profession, and our organization, to prosper while affording your company an exceptional venue for increased exposure and recognition.

AASPA support is a financially sound move to improve your bottom line. In addition, as a NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, we serve as a possible tax advantage for your company. Our Tax ID number is 63-0797410.

The American Association of Surgical PAs exists to advance the PA profession. To this end we help to improve the quality and accessibility of care for the surgical patient. It is truly a noble endeavor.

This is a huge task. We hope you will partner with us for the overall good of both organizations, which will improve the quality of health care that PAs provide.

Corporate support is an ideal way to quickly build recognition, understanding, and use of your product.

General Corporate Support benefits package:

• Free or discounted advertising space in our famous Sutureline bimonthly publication
• Access to the Board of Directors on an as needed basis
• Listing on our website with a free link to your site
• Free or discounted exhibit space at our annual CME meeting

AASPA has the largest student membership of any specialty organization. Our students are the prescribers and surgical product users of tomorrow! We are proud to offer three $600 scholarships yearly.

Support a scholarship (minimum three year or three scholarships - $1800)

As a scholarship supporter your company receives recognition in our journal and on our website. The certificate is also printed with your name and your company can present the award(s) at our annual meeting.

• An outstanding opportunity for your company would be to exhibit at our annual meeting. For 2006, our 6 th Annual CME & Surgical Update was held in Chicago in October in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons and we had 150 attendees.
• Our 2007 meeting will be held in New Orleans in October, the 4 days before the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress. For exhibit information, download the PDF file on this page, or please call our headquarters at 888-882-2772. This is a great way to network with influential surgical PAs, and their leadership, face-to-face.
• You may also consider supporting a lecture with a restricted educational grant. Educational grants allow us to bring in speakers on topics important to the Surgical PA profession. An educational grant is $5000 - $10,000 depending on the speaker.

As a CME supporter, you will be recognized with discounted or free exhibit space, listing in our CME brochure and CME Program Guide given to attendees, as well as listed in each edition of Sutureline for the following year.

4.  ADVERTISE IN THE SUTURELINE JOURNAL

Sutureline is our famous by-monthly publication. It has been educating, informing, and entertaining for decades. As a bi-monthly publication, your advertisement will be in the hands of our readers for at least two months. It is a great media to advertise for a PA, both new graduates and seasoned veterans. It is also a superior vehicle for introducing a new product, new medication indication, or innovative medical device.

A full page ad is $850 (7” wide by 10” high)
A half-page ad is $450 (3.5” wide by 9” high)
A quarter-page ad is $300 (3.5” wide by 4.5” high)
Website - $50 with print ad Website only - $100

Sutureline is famous for its classified section. You can place an employment ad or general announcement in our next edition today. An ad of 50 words or less is $75, each additional 20 words is $20.

Please note: Camera ready art is required.

To find out the next submission deadline or for more information, please call Renee Powell at 888-882-2772.

Please click here to download the Sutureline advertising rate sheet.

Surgical PAs are playing more of a role in the corporate world. PAs are involved in education, product sales and consulting, and product development. AASPA is a great avenue to aid you in recruitment of a PA as an employee or a consultant.

A great way to find a PA is to place an ad in our Sutureline , or post an advertisement at our annual CME meeting. An 8x10 posting at our CME meeting is only $10 for the entire conference. It must be received in our office no later than September 30 th for the conference in October.

FOR INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE OPPORTUNITIES DESCRIBED HERE, PLEASE CONTACT 1-888-88AASPA OR EMAIL THE PAST PRESIDENT OF AASPA AT PastPresident@aaspa.com. WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR CORPORATE RELATIONS BROCHURE (PDF FORMAT).