About PAP
Pathology, like all medicine, is in a period of change with an ill-defined future. All medical specialties are competing for slices of an ever shrinking pie. In such an environment, only pathologists can adequately represent themselves.
Issues Affecting Pathologists in Pennsylvania
Reimbursement
Clearly, an issue all physicians are concerned with is adequate reimbursement. This is an issue that effects all pathologists, irrespective of their employment status. Salaried pathologists are most certainly not immune for reimbursement issues. For salaried pathologists, the hospital bills Blue Cross rather than Blue Shield for pathology services. It is this component of the Blue Cross reimbursement which is then contributed to pathologists' salaries. Even pathologists employed by commercial laboratories are affected by this system since in most instances the laboratory has some contract with the insurance carrier for pathology services. These contracts are based on prevailing rates in the community.
Professional Status
Equally important is having a "seat at the table" when determining scope of practice issues so that we can deliver optimal patient care and protect the viability of our profession. Having a strong state Pathology society that can advocate and represent our interests is vital, especially since so many scope of practice issues are decided at the state level.
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How Can The PAP Help With These Problems?
Strength in Numbers
Membership in PAP strengthens the collective voice of pathologists across the Commonwealth. Through PAP, members work together to engage insurance carriers on reimbursement issues and to communicate with policymakers in Harrisburg on licensing, malpractice, and other matters that directly affect the practice of pathology.
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PAP’s effectiveness comes from its members. A broad and engaged membership demonstrates that PAP truly represents the pathology community in Pennsylvania. Insurance carriers are more responsive to concerns raised by a unified profession, and elected officials pay closer attention when they hear from a large, informed group of constituents.
By joining PAP, you help ensure that the perspectives and needs of pathologists are heard and respected—benefiting both the profession and the patients we serve.
Provide A Forum
Hopefully, the PAP can also represent a forum for discussion of issues facing pathology. Changes in employment patterns have placed more pathologists in commercial laboratories. These individuals have concerns about working conditions that may compromise professional ethics. The PAP could offer a forum for discussion, and perhaps, prepare professional standards of conduct that could be endorsed by not only the membership but by third party payers and licensing agencies as well. Pathology certainly will survive, but if it is to flourish and make the contribution it should, it requires strength in numbers. Hopefully you will become one of a growing number.