Nurses, including NPs and other advanced practice nurses, already have awards of their own.
Your PAs deserve one too.
The ComPAss Award™ is a patient-nominated recognition program for physician assistants and physician associates, that hospitals and practices run for their own teams. Created by practicing PAs. Ready to launch in 30 days.
The gap
On the same team, but not eligible for the same award
Many hospitals group PAs and NPs together as advanced practice providers. Nurses, including NPs and other advanced practice nurses, can be nominated for well-known nursing awards. PAs cannot. The ComPAss Award closes that gap.
board-certified PAs care for patients across the US.
organizations already run a patient-nominated award for their nurses.
national, patient-nominated award program built just for PAs. This one.
How it works
Simple for your team. Unforgettable for your PAs.
Patients nominate
Patients, families and colleagues share their stories through your own nomination page, QR posters or paper forms.
Your team chooses
A small committee reads blinded nominations and scores them with our four-point rubric.
Everyone celebrates
A surprise ceremony on the unit. The nomination is read aloud, and the honoree is pinned with their ComPAss pin.
Four points of the compass
What we honor
- N · NORTH
Compassion
The patient or family felt truly seen and cared for.
- E · EAST
Clinical excellence
Sound judgment that ensured excellence of care.
- S · SOUTH
Communication
Clear explanations, real listening, hard decisions made together.
- W · WEST
Teamwork
Lifted colleagues through teaching, support and advocacy.
What's included
Everything you need, nothing to build
For your hospital or practice
- Your own online nomination page, QR posters and table tents
- Paper nomination forms for patients who prefer them
- Scoring rubric, committee guide and ceremony script
- Announcement, press release and social templates
- A ComPAss Partner badge for your PA recruiting pages
For every honoree
- A ComPAss lapel pin to wear on their badge or white coat
- A framed certificate
- A printed copy of their nomination
- A place on the national ComPAss honoree wall
Become a founding partner
Open to the first 25 hospitals and practices. Founding partners save a third or more and keep that rate for three years.
For hospitals and practices · Founding partner offer
Recognize your PAs the way patients already see them
A turnkey, patient-nominated award program for PAs. You choose the honorees; we provide everything else.
Founding partner offer: 25 spots
- Save a third or more: $500, $1,500 or $3,000 a year, by size
- Honoree kits and every program material included
- Founding price is locked for the first 3 years for initial partners
- Recognized on our site as a founding partner
- Reserve by December 31 to start in January
Pricing
One yearly package, priced by the number of PAs
| Size | PAs | Founding price | Regular price | Kits included | Extra kits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 1 to 9 | $500 | $900 | 2 | $175 each |
| Mid-size | 10 to 99 | $1,500 | $2,500 | 4 | $175 each |
| Large | 100+ or several sites | $3,000 | $4,500 | 10 | $160 each |
Health systems: signing up 5 or more hospitals? Each hospital is priced by its own size, with a system discount and one contract. Ask about system pricing.
Prices are per year. Founding prices are open to the first 25 partners of any size and stay locked for 3 years as long as you renew each year. Many partners fund the program through an APP department budget, a hospital foundation, or a local sponsor.
Why it matters to you
- Retention: PAs who feel recognized stay
- Recruiting: show candidates you value PAs
- Inclusion: no APP left out of recognition
- Patient experience: patients get a way to say thank you
What your team does
- Name a sponsor and a program coordinator
- Pick 5 to 7 committee members
- Choose honorees from real nominations
- Hold a short ceremony on the unit
Talk with us
Email info@thecompassaward.com with your questions or to reserve your spot. We'll reply by email with everything your team needs, including the Partner Guide and founding partner details.
The ComPAss Award was created by practicing PAs who wanted their colleagues to have what nurses already have.
Founding Ambassadors
PAs who believe their colleagues deserve to be seen
Our Founding Ambassadors are practicing PAs from across specialties who stand behind the ComPAss Award and help bring it to PA workplaces nationwide.
An invitation for PAs · 50 founding spots
Become a Founding Ambassador of the ComPAss Award™
Help launch the first national, patient-nominated award program for PAs. It takes about an hour, spread across the next few months.
What we ask
A little, a few times
- Share our launch post and the PA survey once
- Tell us if your workplace might be interested
- Let us list your name, credentials and photo
What you get
A line worth adding to your CV
- The title Founding Ambassador, The ComPAss Award for PAs
- Your profile on our Founding Ambassadors page
- A ComPAss pin and an invitation to a ceremony near you
Why it matters
PAs are left out today
Where hospitals group PAs and NPs as APPs, NPs can be honored through established nursing awards and PAs cannot. Ambassadors show hospitals that PAs want this.
Founding spots close once all 50 are filled
After that, new members join as ComPAss Ambassadors. There is no cost, and you can step away at any time.
How to join
Fill out the 3-minute sign-up form: your name, credentials, specialty, a photo, and your permission to be listed.
We list your name and credentials, not your employer, and we never imply your employer endorses the award. Questions? Email info@thecompassaward.com.
For partner hospitals and practices
The Partner Program Guide
Everything your team needs to launch and run the ComPAss Award: roles, a 30-day launch plan, the scoring rubric, a ceremony script, and ready-to-use templates.
Inside the guide
- Welcome and what we provide
- Roles on your team
- 30-day launch plan
- Program rules
- Collecting nominations
- Selecting honorees and the rubric
- The celebration and script
- After the ceremony
- Funding and sponsors
- Templates
- FAQ and support
Launch in four weeks
- Week 1: name a sponsor and coordinator; get your welcome packet by email
- Week 2: invite your committee; privacy office reviews the form
- Week 3: approve your nomination page; print posters
- Week 4: announce to staff; nominations open
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the ComPAss Award?
A recognition program for PAs: physician assistants and physician associates. Patients, families and colleagues nominate PAs who gave extraordinary, compassionate care. Each partner hospital or practice chooses its own honorees and celebrates them on the unit.
Who is eligible?
Licensed, practicing PAs at a partner organization, in any specialty or setting, full or part time. PAs in leadership roles who still see patients are eligible too.
Why just PAs, and not all APPs?
Nurses, including nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses, already have established recognition awards. PAs don't. The ComPAss Award gives PAs equivalent recognition so no one on your APP team is left out.
What does it cost?
Pricing is one yearly package based on how many PAs you have, with honoree kits included: $900 for 1 to 9 PAs, $2,500 for 10 to 99, and $4,500 for 100 or more. Founding partners save a third or more ($500, $1,500 or $3,000) and keep that rate for 3 years as long as they renew each year. See For hospitals.
What's in an honoree kit?
A ComPAss lapel pin, a framed certificate and a printed copy of the nomination.
How much work is it for our team?
About 2 to 4 hours a month for a coordinator, plus an hour per selection round for a small committee. We provide the nomination page, materials and templates.
How are honorees chosen?
Your committee scores blinded nominations using our rubric, built on the four points of the compass: compassion, clinical excellence, communication and teamwork. Compassion counts double.
How do you protect patient privacy?
Nominations stay with your team. The form asks nominators whether their story may be read aloud or shared, and no story is shared publicly without permission and without patient details removed. We recommend your privacy office review the form during launch.
Can practices and urgent care centers join?
Yes. Pricing is based on how many PAs you have, not the type of organization, so a 4-PA urgent care and a 120-PA specialty group both fit.
How can we pay for it?
Most partners use an APP department budget or a hospital foundation. A local business or civic group can sponsor an award. We don't accept sponsorship from drug or device companies, because PAs are covered recipients under federal Open Payments rules.
Who runs the ComPAss Award?
The ComPAss Award was created by practicing PAs and is run by a small independent company. Partner organizations pay a yearly fee to run the program, much as hospitals do for other recognition programs. We never sell awards to individuals, and only your team chooses honorees.
How do we get started?
Email info@thecompassaward.com with your questions, or read the Partner guide first.