Working :)

Wow, I didn't realize how long it had been since I last blogged.  Since that last notice, I have obtained my full credentialing (happened in October), and have been working.  The office I am working in is a great fit for me.  It's family practice with 1 (now 2!) provider, and a mix of patients from ages 7 to geriatric.  We accept 1 HMO and many PPOs. We take care of a lot of chronic conditions, acute illnesses, etc.  We don't do OB.  Not a lot of procedures.  It's good!  I like it a lot!

The only problem right now is lack of patients... going from 1 provider to 2 means we need to double our patient load in order to pay the bills.  That is slow going.  I'm hoping maybe when 2014 starts we will get more patients.  In the meantime, I'm only working part time (mostly on days that are busy), and finances are rather strained at home.

Here's to hoping 2014 is super busy with lots of patients!

Credentialing process!

I am now the owner of a PA license, an NPI number, a DEA license number, and just recently took the "controlled substances class" which will allow me to prescribe scheduled drugs without prior approval from my supervising physician.

I've accepted a position in family practice, working for my previous boss, and it's going to be a beautiful relationship!  

Now, the hold up seems to be the "credentialing process" that no one ever warned me about!  This is the process, after you are hired, of sending all your information to insurance companies.  They, in turn, agree to reimburse you for seeing patients.  Without this approval, you really don't want to be seeing patients, else you might not get paid for them at all!  My work understands this, but wants me to have the chance to get "back in the groove" with the EMR and workflow, so they are allowing  me to come in part time and refill prescriptions, answer phone notes, review lab results.... mostly paperwork.  In addition, last week we started with me going in to see patients, getting a history, physical, coming up with a plan, etc, then communicating this info with the doctor, who in turn goes in to see the patient for an abbreviated visit and confirms these things, so he can bill it under his name rather than me signing the note.  I thought this would take a lot of time with both of us seeing the patients, but it really doesn't, as he is free to go work on his paperwork while I see the patient, and his time with the patient is abbreviated from normal since he doesn't have to get the whole history, etc.  Hopefully this will work until the "credentialing" process is done.

Licensed!

Everything is proceeding quite well!  My license number was issued the Monday after the PANCE scores were released (haven't received it in the mail yet, though).  Applied for my NPI and got that the same day.  Now need to apply for my DEA... which is $732 for 3 years, yikes!  And then need to take the controlled substances course, which is another $180.

Can't wait to start work and MAKE money instead of spending it!

Passed the PANCE!

Well, I received notification today that I passed the certification exam (PANCE).  Now I await my license. :)

DONE!

Well, here we are.  Graduation is tomorrow.  After that, I plan on giving myself a few weeks to rest and study, then take the PANCE in September.  My master's degree is finished as well.

On to bigger and better things!

Time is nigh!

Wow, less than 2 weeks left!  Three days left of rotations.  It's so close!  Unbelievable how fast the time has gone, though it seemed so slow during.

I'm scheduled to take my PANCE exam the first part of September.  I'm nervous about that.  I just want to get done and start working.  I will be working in a family practice office in Bakersfield.  I worked there before as a medical assistant before PA school.  So excited!

Five months left!

Our last day is August 16th, so we have FIVE MONTHS left of rotations!  Only FIVE!  Yay!