ARIZONA REGULATORY BOARD OF
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS

FISCAL YEAR 2005-2006
ANNUAL REPORT

9545 East Doubletree Ranch Road
Scottsdale, Arizona 85258
(480) 551-2700 or toll-free (877) 255-2212
www.azpa.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letter to the Governor, Janet Napolitano …………………………………………..……….. Page 2
.
ARIZONA MEDICAL BOARD
Board Membership …………………………………………………………………………..

Page 3

Licensing ……………………………………………………………………………...………

Page 7

Regulation ………….…………………………………………………………………………

Page 8

Page 1

LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR
JANET NAPOLITANO
Governor
Janet Napolitano

ear Governor Napolitano
Members of the Arizona Regulatory Board
of Physician Assistants
Albert Ray Tuttle, P.A.-C
Chair/Physician Assistant Member
Joan Reynolds, P.A.-C
Vice Chair/Physician Assistant Member
Randy D. Danielsen, Ph.D., P.A.-C
Physician Assistant Member
Michael E. Goodwin, P.A.-C
Physician Assistant Member
James Edward Meyer, M.D.
Allopathic Physician Member
Sigmund Popko
Public Member
Anna Marie Prassa
Public Member
Peter C. Wagner, D.O.
Osteopathic Physician Member
Kelli M. Ward, D.O., M.P.H., FACOFP
Osteopathic Physician Member
Barry D. Weiss, M.D.
Allopathic Physician Member

Executive Staff
Timothy C. Miller, J.D.
Executive Director
Amanda J. Diehl, M.P.A., C.P.M.
Deputy Executive Director
Bernadette E. Phelan, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Roger Downey
Media Relations Officer

On behalf of the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants, I submit to you the 2006 Annual Report. In fiscal
year 2006, the Board took on the ambitious task of redesigning the
entire investigative process. The new investigative process streamlines investigations, creates efficiencies, reduces the caseload and
maintains the high quality of the investigations. The Board worked
vigorously to reduce the caseload from a high of 41 to 18 cases and
maintained the high quality of the investigations. For all of 2006,
the average number of days to complete a complaint investigation
was 194 days, but the average dropped to less than 180 days during
the 2006 calendar year.
The Board improved on its record of processing
physician assistant licenses, once receiving a fully completed application, from an average of 2 days to 1.2 days. Routine applications
took an average of 36 days for the Board to receive all the required
paperwork. The Board issued 248 new licenses—an increase of
nearly 70% over 2004-2005. The Board finished the year with 1,478
licensed physician assistants.
In FY 2006, the Board asked customers to rate the
investigation processes. The public and the licensees’ responses reflect the quality of the Staff’s hard work. Eighty-six percent of the
responding customers were satisfied with Board Staff and the investigation process. Consistent performance by the Licensing Division
was responsible for a high licensee satisfaction rating of 99% in
2006. The Board expects to achieve the same high ratings for fiscal
year 2007.
Sincerely,

Timothy C. Miller
Executive Director

Page 2

ARIZONA REGULATORY BOARD OF
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS
Albert Ray Tuttle, P.A.-C, the Board’s
Chair, is employed by the Family Medical Center
in Safford and part-time at the Emergency Room
of the Mount Graham Regional
Medical Center in Safford. He
has been a P.A. in Arizona since
1981 and formerly was a medic
in the U.S. Army. During the
years that he has been in Arizona, he has worked exclusively
in family practice in rural settings and in the ER. He currently serves on the City of Safford Planning and Zoning Commission and has
served on the Special Olympics and other boards
that provide services for the developmentally disable and local mental health providers. He is actively involved as a Boy Scout Leader. P.A. Tuttle
is a member of the American Association of Physician Assistants, the Arizona Medical Association, and the Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants. P.A. Tuttle has a special interest
in the developmentally disabled and in 1998 became certified as a lifestyle counselor for weight
control and stress management.
Joan M. Reynolds, M.M.S., P.A.-C,

the Board’s Vice-Chair, is a practicing physician
assistant at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale. She has been
employed as a physician assistant since 1986, serving in primary care settings. Ms. Reynolds earned her Physician Assistant degree at Hahnemann
University in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
Ms. Reynolds
received her Master's Degree in
Medical Science through Nova
Southeastern University. She is
past-president of the Arizona State Association of
Physician Assistants, has served as an elected
delegate to the American Academy of Physician
Assistants in the House of Delegates for the past

6 years. She has received the recognition of
“Arizona PA of the Year in 2004,” serves as a
preceptor for PA students in Internal Medicine at
Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, and is an Adjunct Faculty
member for Midwestern University in Glendale,
Arizona and for Arizona School of Health Sciences in Mesa.

Randy Danielsen, Ph.D., P.A.-C, is
Professor and Dean of the Arizona School of
Health Sciences (ASHS), a School of A.T. Still
University. He is the former
Chair in the Department of
Physician Assistant Studies
at ASHS. In November 2005,
he was elected to serve a threeyear leadership term on the
Board of Directors of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
(NCCPA). His term as Chairman-elect began January 1, 2006. In 2007, he will
serve as the NCCPA Chairman of the Board, and
in 2008, as the Immediate Past Chair. Dr. Danielson has served on the NCCPA Board since 1997
and was most recently the chair of the Research
& Test Development Committee, as the Secretary
of the NCCPA Board of Directors, and as a
member of the Executive Committee. He is also
a member of the American Academy of Physician
Assistants. Dr. Danielsen serves on the Editorial
Board of Clinician Reviews. He received his PA
training at the University of Utah MEDEX program (1974), his Masters in PA Studies from the
University of Nebraska (1997), and a Doctorate in
Education (Ph.D.) from the Union Institute &
University in 2003 with an emphasis on medical
education.

Page 3

ARIZONA REGULATORY BOARD OF
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS
Michael E. Goodwin, P.A., is the founder and owner of Occupational Assessments &
Services, an occupational medicine provider in
and out of Arizona. He is a licensed physician assistant, receiving his training at the United
States Medical Center in Springfield, Missouri. He attended the
University of Cincinnati residency in occupational medicine.
Goodwin is currently a member
of the Executive Board, Section
on Medical Center Occupational
Health for the American College
of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. He is also a member of the adjunct faculty,
Arizona School of Health Sciences and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Arizona Valle
del Sol Association of Occupational Health Services. P.A. Goodwin is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, is a founding
member of the Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants, and belongs to the American
Academy of Physician Assistants and to the Arizona Medical Association.
James E. Meyer, M.D., is the Medical
Director of the Physician Assistant Program and
an Associate Professor for the College of Health
Sciences at Midwestern University. He is also an Associate
Medical Director of Hospice of
Arizona. Dr. Meyer receives his
medical education at the University of Michigan Medical School
and completed a medicine internship at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Pennyslvania State University and an
Internal Medicine Residency at the University of
Colorado Medical Center. He also completed
extensive postgraduate psychotherapy training.
He is a Board certified Marriage and Family

Therapist and is a Diplomate, American Board of
Internal Medicine. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the American College of
Physicians, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and the American
Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and
Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare.

Sigmund Popko, J.D., earned his Juris
Doctor from the University of Arizona College of
Law and is an Associate Professor of Legal Writing at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona
State University. Prior to assuming his current position,
he served as a Visiting Attorney for the United States Sentencing Commission in Washington, D.C., and as an Assistant Federal Public Defender
for the Federal Public Defender’s Office, District
of Arizona. Mr. Popko is a member of several
professional and civic associations, including the
Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice. He is the
co-author of a treatise on the Federal Sentencing
Guidelines, “Federal Sentencing Law and Practice,” published by Thomson West.

Page 4

ARIZONA REGULATORY BOARD OF
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS
Anna Marie Prassa founded Executive
Stress Busters, Inc. and pioneered the 15-minute,
in-office massage concept to combat computer
and work related injuries. She
also opened Natural Day Spa,
an environment that naturally
activates our 5 senses. Ms.
Prassa is a highly trained motivational speaker. She holds a
Bachelor of Science Degree,
has completed workshops and
medical programs at the Touch
Research Institute at the University of Miami School of medicine and has attended an internship program at the University of
Arizona. Ms. Prassa has conducted extensive
research on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Headaches
and Temporal Mandible Joint Disorder. She has
17,300 hours in training and over 15 years experience working with the muscular system. Ms.
Prassa currently also serves on the Homeopathic
Board and the Acupuncture Board. She was recently appointed to conduct a special study of the
private investigator and security guard professions. In April 2001, Ms. Prassa sold her businesses for a less stressful life and has been pursuing her speaking career.
Peter C. Wagner, D.O., is the medical
director of the Gila Crossing Clinic on the Pima
Indian Reservation south of Phoenix. Prior to
this position, he was in private practice for 15 years in
Chandler. Dr. Wagner is a
member of the clinical faculty at the Arizona College of
Osteopathic Medicine in
Glendale, Arizona. He is
also a Commander in the
U.S. Navy Reserve, and was
called to active duty in 2003 under Operation Noble Eagle/Enduring Freedom. He was assigned to
Camp Pendleton Marine Corp Base for his tour
of duty. Formerly, Dr. Wagner was the acting

clinical director at Sells Indian Hospital in Sells,
Arizona, a clinical lecturer at the University of
Arizona Medical School, and the vice-chairman
and chairman of the Family Medical Department
at Mesa General Hospital. Dr. Wagner has served
on the Arizona Osteopathic Association Committee on Comprehensive Planning. He is a published author in Osteopathic Annals and is the
recipient of numerous awards from the Mesa Association for Retarded Citizens and the Tempe
Center for Rehabilitation. Dr. Wagner received
his D.O. degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri and completed his
residency in family practice at Richmond Heights
General Hospital in Ohio. He is a member of the
American Osteopathic Association and the
American College of General Practice, and is
Board Certified in Family Medicine.

Kelli M. Ward, D.O., M.P.H., FACOFP,

is a resident of Lake Havasu City, Arizona where
she has practiced medicine since 1999. She is a
Board certified family physician. Dr. Ward earned her
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree from the
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and continued her education with a
Family Practice Residency,
Faculty Development Fellowship, and Clinician Educator Fellowship in Michigan. Additionally, Dr. Ward completed the Osteopathic Heritage Health Policy Fellowship in
2003. Also, Dr. Ward has earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health. She is the president of the
Arizona Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Practitioners, the secretarytreasurer of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association and a member of the American Osteopathic Association. She is also active in her community as a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador.

Page 5

ARIZONA REGULATORY BOARD OF
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS
Barry D. Weiss, M.D., FAAFP, is a
Professor of Family and Community Medicine at
the University of Arizona's College of Medicine.
He is the editor of
“Family Medicine,” the Journal
of the Society of Teachers of
Family Medicine, and associate
editor of the American Academy of Family Physicians'
Home Study Monograph Program. Dr. Weiss received his
M.D. degree from the State
University of New York at the Buffalo School of
Medicine. Dr. Weiss is Board certified in family
medicine and geriatric medicine by the American
Board of Family Medicine.

Page 6

LICENSING
The Board issued 70% more Physician Assistant licenses during 20052006 FY than it did the year before.
Physician Assistants continue to play an
important role in healthcare and provide physicians with the opportunity to better serve their
patients. They serve Arizonans in numerous environments.
The concept of physician assistants is
relatively new. During the 1960’s, when the need
for health care personnel developed in underserved and rural communities, former military
corpsmen with medical training were returning to
civilian life. At the time, they wanted to put their
training to use, but lacked the opportunity to enter the physician-dominated health care system.

That changed with the acceptance of physician
assistants as part of the healthcare team.
The Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants began licensing applicants and
regulating the profession in the 1970’s. According to a February 1975 Arizona Medical Board
newsletter, the first group of licensed physician
assistants numbered 15 and came from an initial
applicant group of 33. Eleven of the 15 were
engaged in patient care services.
At the end of June 2006, there were almost 1,500 active licensed Physician Assistants in
Arizona, a nearly 13% increase from the previous
year.

Licenses
FY 05

FY 06

1,311

1,478

Licenses Issued

146

248

Temporary Licenses Issued

48

46

Supervision Notifications Processed

609

764

2

1.2

Total Number of Physician Assistants

Average Number of Days to Process an Initial Application
(Date of receipt of fully completed application to final issue)

Page 7

REGULATION
A new, four-stage Adjudication Process has been implemented, standardizing
the way complaints are opened, investigated, processed and adjudicated.
The Board opens an investigation when a
complaint is against a physician assistant and the
allegation—if true—is a violation of the Physician Assistant Practice Act.
Compliance Monitoring is the Board’s way of
knowing that its orders involving practice restrictions, limitations and probation are being followed. The figure represents the number of physician’s assistants being monitored for these reasons. Compliance officers conduct random chart
reviews, review physician records and report to

the Board any findings of non-compliance.
Failure to obey a Board order can lead to
more disciplinary action.
Twelve physician assistants are currently participating in the Physician Health Program and
Monitored Aftercare Program. Board Staff ensure PAs comply with each program’s requirements and are safe to practice medicine. Findings
of non-compliance are immediately brought to
the Board’s attention.

PA Regulation
FY 05

FY 06

Investigations Remaining Open at Fiscal Year’s End

41

18

Number of PAs Monitored for Compliance

2

3

Number of PAs in Monitored Aftercare Program (MAP)

9

10

N/A

2

Number of PAs in Physician Health Program (PHP)

Fiscal Year 2006 Disciplinary Board Orders

4

4
3.5
3
2.5
2
Numbe r of Ca se s
1.5
1
0.5

3

2

0
Loss of Lic ense

0
Prac tic e Restric tion

Dec ree of Censure

Letter of Reprimand

0
Probation

Page 8