Follow up to proposed rule 46--Minor Aesthetic/Cosmetic Surgical Procedures Guideline

As you may recall, we shared with you that ARAPA wrote a letter of opposition to the Arkansas State Medical Board (ASMB) regarding proposed Rule 46 (Minor Aesthetic/Cosmetic Surgical Procedures Guideline) on May 8th, 2020. The original public hearing was postponed, but ARAPA board members were able to watch the hearing live via a televised link on July 23rd. Proposed Rule 46 was published in the Arkansas Register on August 10th, containing minor edits to the initial draft along with a summary of the opposition and support (attached). According to the ASMB, the proposed rule was adopted by the Board at the August 2020 meeting and maybe on the agenda for the September meeting of the Legislative Rules Committee.  If the Committee approves the Rule, the Board’s attorney will file it with the Secretary of State and 10 days following the filing, the rule will be effective.  

We are disappointed to see that our concerns were not taken into consideration with the revised draft and today we submitted a follow-up letter to the ASMB again reiterating our position (attached). Our main concern with this proposed rule is that it would represent a regression in the scope of practice for Arkansas PAs. It states "The physician must personally diagnose and document the condition of the patient, prescribe the treatment and procedure to be performed and is responsible for the acts of the employee performing the delegated minor aesthetic/cosmetic surgical procedure." 

You can look further back in the announcements section of our website to see the original letter and supporting documentation that was sent to the ASMB in May. We will continue to monitor the progress of this proposed rule and keep you posted. This is an excellent reminder of the power of membership in both ARAPA and AAPA. Maintaining a current membership and attending our fall CME conference helps fund advocay efforts. Stay tuned for some major advocacy news coming your way next month! 

ARAPA is committed to furthering the PA profession in Arkansas. We are working hard for YOU! We value your membership and feedback. 

Heather Trudeau, PA-C

President, Arkansas Academy of PAs