On March 18, Arkansas became the 14th state to join the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact.
With the passing of SB 101, licensed physician assistants in Arkansas will soon be allowed to practice in some other states. The 13 other states that have joined the compact are Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
The interstate licensure compact is designed to mitigate the primary care physician shortage, according to the American Academy of Physician Associates.
After a state joins the compact, it takes 18 to 24 months for its participation to be fully operationalized. Seven states have enacted the PA compact.