Pennsylvania will be fully participating in three interstate health care licensure compacts, effective July 7: the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, the Nurse Licensure Compact, and the Physical Therapy Compact.
The compacts allow licensed doctors, nurses and physical therapists to practice across state lines in other participating compact states without undergoing state-specific licensing processes. In Pennsylvania, there are currently licensed more than 17,000 physical therapists, 65,000 physicians and 300,000 nurses. The change allows for provider flexibility, work force mobility and system-wide efficiency.
“In the midst of historic and persistent workforce shortages, we need every tool available to attract the health care providers who will meet Pennsylvania’s growing need for care,” Nicole Stallings, Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania president and CEO, said. “Full implementation of interstate licensure compacts helps bring providers to our communities and supports access to care.”
Problems with federal background checks previously prevented the compacts from being fully implemented. State and federal leaders worked with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve the issue.
“For two years, I worked closely with the FBI and the Pennsylvania Department of State to get this critical approval across the finish line,” U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) said. “Now, with federal approval secured, Pennsylvania can fully implement its licensure compacts — streamlining the process, expanding our health care workforce, and getting more qualified providers to patients faster. This is a big win for our PA-1 community, our health care system, and every Pennsylvanian counting on access to timely, high-quality care.”
In 2016, the Pennsylvania General Assembly authorized entry into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Subsequent legislation approved the Physical Therapy Compact in 2020 and the Nurse Licensure Compact in 2021.
Fitzpatrick led targeted federal efforts to modernize background check systems and move the process toward final approval.
“I’ve long worked alongside our local hospitals, nurses, doctors, and health care professionals who have been clear about the challenges they face,” Fitzpatrick said. “They’ve consistently raised this as a top concern, and I’ve made it a priority to fight for the tools they need. This implementation is the result of listening to them, standing with them, and doing the work to get it done.”