Action | Initial regulations for registration |
Stage | Fast-Track |
Comment Period | Ended on 1/28/2015 |
Dear Sirs:
The American Board of Surgical Assistants hereafter referred to as ABSA has always supported certification, registration and or licensure of surgical assistants. We also believe it vital to maintain one’s certification along with registration and or licensure. We fully support the regulation and registration of surgical technologists and surgical assistants in the State of Virginia. There are three nationally recognized credentialing organizations for surgical assistants, the ABSA, NBSTSA and NCCSA, however, the omission of the ABSA from the legislation appears to have exhibited a definite negative bias.
The American Board of Surgical Assistants was founded in 1987 as an independent national testing and credentialing organization for surgical assistants (www.absa.net). During the past two years it has become both a national and international credentialing organization, for surgical assistants.
Once again, the American Board of Surgical Assistants fully supports the registration and regulation of surgical technologists and surgical assistants in the “Regulations Governing the Registration of Surgical Assistants and Surgical Technologists [under development] [18 VAC 85 - 160]” and formally requests the ABSA be added to list of Approved and or Recognized credentialing organizations, for surgical assistants, in the State of Virginia.
I thank the Department of Health Professions and the Board of Medicine for the opportunity to respond in this forum.
Respectfully:
Paul F. Weeks, MD, Chief Executive Officer