The Role In Healthcare Of The Physician Assistant

Physician assistants are playing an increasingly important and valuable role in healthcare

. According to the American Medical Association, there is a current shortage of physicians, more apparent within certain specialties in some regions, and more shortages are predicted in the future. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners are being relied upon to help fill in the gap to provide needed primary care to patients.

Much of this growing need for non-physician healthcare providers has been due to the increased costs of healthcare in the past few years as well as changes in the healthcare system. Physician assistants can provide cost-effective, high quality care for a wide range of treatments and services and are particularly valuable in rural and less-served areas. Though state and federal laws mandate that physician assistants be under the supervision of physicians, they are not required to be in the physical presence of a physician at all times when performing medical services for which they are trained and approved. Compared to the costs of physicians, the costs of physicians assistants is low, while still offering quality, trained care. Surveys have shown that physician assistant provided care is well received by the patients they treat, with 90 to 95 percent of patient expressing high levels of satisfaction after receiving care.

Physician assistants are professionals licensed by the state in which they practice. Services they provide depend upon the specialty for which they are trained under a physician's supervision. In general, they can do much of what a physician can, including physical exams, order and interpret lab tests, diagnosis and treatment within their specialty, and write prescriptions. Approved skills and treatment may include minor surgery as well. Surgical physician assistants routinely provide pre- and post-operative care for patients, freeing the surgeon to perform the more specialized care appropriate to training and expertise.

In addition to the value for quality patient care, a physician assistant offers a relatively low cost revenue source for a physician's practice. A physician assistant can handle most routine cases as well as take medical histories, order tests, and prescribe, essentially doubling the number of patients that can be seen during the day, without the high cost of an additional physician. However, there is an added responsibility to the physician for the appropriate required supervision to reduce the risk of potential tort liability and added Medicare billing scrutiny.

There is a reason why the American Medical Association places physician assistants among the top of the growth of healthcare professions through 2014. Offering cost-effective, quality healthcare to serve a public in need, make this profession one of the highest value.

by: Art Gib

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