Policy Evaluation of Recent Legislation Affecting the Role of ARNPs and Pas in the Washington State Workers' Compensation System: SHB 1691 and SB 6356

Investigators: Jeanne Sears, Tom Wickizer, Bobbie Berkowitz, Allen Cheadle, Mary Salazar, Gary Franklin

The goal of this project is to evaluate the impact of two bills that took effect on 7/1/04, SHB 1691 and SB 6356. SHB 1691 authorized ARNPs to independently perform those functions of an attending physician within their scope of practice, including signing accident report forms and certifying time loss. SB 6356 authorized PAs to sign accident report forms for uncomplicated patients. The legislature required that an evaluation of both bills be completed prior to the scheduled sunset date of 6/30/07. Little information is available on outcomes of WC-related care provided by ARNPs or PAs. The evaluation of this policy experiment will include factors such as changes in access and the geographic distribution of providers, administrative efficiency, service patterns, and disability and cost outcomes. Results will be available in December 2006.