PAs Come Together to Celebrate, Reflect

Award recipients Nicole Dwyer, Edward Breiby and Linda Drury are honored at the ninth annual PA recognition event.

Physician assistants across BWH, BWFH and DFCI were recognized for their invaluable contributions to the institutions during a celebration hosted by Physician Assistant Services on Oct. 11.

The annual dinner brings together PAs, their supervising physicians, colleagues, family and friends to recognize the efforts and dedication of the more than 200 PAs throughout the distributed campus. The event included a keynote address by Ruth Ballweg, MPA, PA-C, director of the MEDEX Northwest PA Program at University of Washington, as well as the presentation of this year's PA Recognition Awards to E.J. Breiby, PA-C, Nicole Dwyer, PA-C, and Linda Drury, PA-C.

"It has been amazing to watch our PAs grow with the institution," said Debra Leven, MBA, MPH, director of Special Projects and Physician Assistant Services at BWH, before the event. "They are an unbelievably caring, intelligent, competent group of care providers."            

With the institution's commitment to care redesign and its transition to team-based care in some areas, the PA role has greatly expanded, especially in primary care. Massachusetts recently passed a law that requires insurance companies to include PAs as primary care providers. Previously, PAs had to be listed under their affiliated physicians, and any billing of services provided by PAs was processed under supervising physicians. The law, which went into effect in early November, will improve access to PAs and primary care. 

"This is a huge victory for patients and providers because it improves access to care," said Michele Elms, PA-C, project manager of PA Services at BWH and senior PA for Brigham and Women's Physician Group in Primary Care. "We can now keep better track of PA data as credentialed providers. The change also points to the value of PAs and other mid-level providers in delivering care to patients, especially as the demand for providers continues to skyrocket and the U.S. population ages."

Elms' experience as a PA at BWH for the past five years has been one of collaboration and support.

"PAs are well-respected and very well-supported here," she said. "It is an environment where physicians are comfortable relying on PAs. There is infrastructure in place and education about PAs as part of care teams that help to foster this environment."

At the celebration, colleagues shared the stories and achievements of award recipients Breiby, of BWH Cardiac Surgery, Dwyer, of BWH/BWFH Emergency Medicine, and Drury, of DFCI Inpatient Medical Oncology/Palliative Care.

Breiby, who joined BWH in 2003, calls the award humbling.

"I think the common thread among people working in medicine is wanting to help people, fix problems and give patients a better quality of life," he said.

Dwyer, who came to BWFH in 1997, says that every day as a PA in the Emergency Room is different and exciting. "I've been doing this for a long time, and it's so nice to be recognized," she said. "I think it reflects nicely on BWFH and PAs across the institution."

Drury will celebrate her eighth year at DFCI in February. Her approach to patient care is to treat the whole person, not just the disease or sickness he or she is experiencing.

"I try to ask myself, who is the person and where are they in their symptom and disease process?" said Drury. "How can I help them understand what is going on, put things in perspective and help them feel better? It is always possible to make people feel better."

Chief Medical Officer Stanley Ashley, MD, welcomed honorees and guests to the event and later introduced keynote speaker Ballweg, whom he called the most recognized and respected advocate for PAs in the country. Ballweg spoke about the evolution of the PA profession over time, commending the PAs in attendance for their work and the institution for supporting them.

"Our mission is about ensuring that everyone who needs care receives it," Ballweg said. "The profession has brought us opportunities we could have never imagined."