Joint Advocacy Correspondence: Deputy Secretary Johnson, State's Licensing System

January 9, 2023

Deputy Secretary Kalonji Johnson
Regulatory Programs
Pennsylvania Department of State
302 North Office Building
401 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120

Dear Deputy Secretary Johnson:

The undersigned organizations, which are part of a collaborative group known as the Pennsylvania Provider Advocacy Coalition, are writing to express our appreciation with regard to the commonwealth’s decision to replace the current Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS).

We appreciated the commonwealth’s efforts to implement a system designed to streamline operations and processing time for licensure applications and renewals. We acknowledge that Department of State staff have worked hard to address the licensing boards’ workflow process; however, the current system has not helped to alleviate the delays in licensure approvals. Our members continue to experience significant delays, which creates an undue burden for the onboarding of practitioners as well as an impediment in access to care for their patients.

As you begin the process of securing a new licensing system, we feel that it is extremely important for the health care provider community to provide input about the processes to be included in the new online licensure system, including implementing key performance indicators throughout the process.

Additionally, members of the coalition have raised concerns relating to plans to modify practitioner surveys that are conducted as part of the licensing process. These surveys capture important workforce information used by policymakers, and we would like to engage in dialogue before any changes are made to the current process.

We also would like to emphasize how important it is to ensure open communication between your team and the health care provider community and would request that you convene periodic meetings to continue dialogue about these issues.

The Pennsylvania Provider Advocacy Coalition holds periodic conference calls throughout the year, and we welcome an opportunity to speak with you and your policy team. We will follow-up in the near future to identify a mutually convenient date for a discussion.

We appreciate your efforts to improve the department’s responsiveness when interacting with the health care provider community and look forward to working with you and your team as you implement a new licensing system.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

American College of Nurse-Midwives: Pennsylvania Affiliate
LeadingAge PA
National Association of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Chapter
PA Coalition for Oral Health
Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians
Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics 
Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians 
Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association
Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners 
Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians 
Pennsylvania Dental Association
Pennsylvania Homecare Association 
Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association 
Pennsylvania Rural Health Association
Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists
Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants 
Pennsylvania Speech-Language-Hearing Association 
Pennsylvania State Nurses Association
Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania 
Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association
The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania 
The Urban Health Care Coalition of Pennsylvania
 

 

   

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Topics: Licensure, Workforce

Revision Date: 1/9/2023

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