a aie “The Physician Assistant Wil See You The New Yor Times EheNew York Times The Physician Assistant Will See You tena en Po & Pera taubisazsearalemoner athe wna mastersin pb pty tom Harars ah Fey Seb ef Coven Bo a fleFyearsana poly amit sheers rlcingon er deat peel soles the pease spenti Americorps Community Healitorp aller ene She decided se wanted ane carer.n edn, but ot a adc. aids. Tau, who etre Boson Univers’ physkian ssn iraing program this yea. cy? ont wan ha uch ue aay om my Ks note eas TE —S0EN oy YA { syadel $40 Qood sanan Tai UE mes Sea seh ech et Spt arallgnecsota ore packers Andather pyscan extenders PAs now cary ut mary dts nce handed by dcr: Tey erorm py alexa nes nesses, assist in surgery, order lab tests and prescribe medi rer order lab tests andpreserive medication 4 \(hcqy4 (tan wr 4docrdy art gc With censof milton of aman newly ingen the Afardable Care Act, anda shoe nthe number of dctors 0 care ther ies itle wonder that According tothe Bureau of Labor Statistics, thei numbers ae expected to increase 38 percent between 2612 and 202. Arend, between 6800 and 7000 ne PAs are ing rns eae year ese ed. Tee ae cre Boag ase oases he coun eth 78 me ning Ly qrdwng yeorytifln Ben niet Sg ENN conn ranked program, had iis for 83 seats. Like most of fhe programs, Duke's requires applicants to complete coursework in re ‘med science classes likeibiology and chemistry and to have hanson experience with patients.“ = aren) ls the ape duectr “Mos competitive appleants ave ait re tha ha, ike 131 0 months They ave ten “worked as medical assistants, E:M.T:s or phlevotomists before matriculating orth Cel Tv “Typically, programs ssroom, then a yi? lnealiotations. The education olows a de with Cra a patering logos and teatmen After psingastinalcertieton exam, physician assitn's practice under smersadoces AAMT YY 7 cunycat yet % MIS 4. WO reste a account oro Si Rees’ dream of media schoo ‘The Cleveland Cin one fhe gst medical centesin he cour, mpoys abou 400 PAs and has aenings or started here 10 years ago we had about 50 P.A.s," said Josanne Pagel, executive director of physician assistant services “PAS are critical Aaraceesstoggre” © (neal areal crcl cqmomiosucess. “our ely geting bang for our buck? Ms. Pagel sai PAS 's salary o less, depending on specialty (an E.R. doctor makes on average $270,000, an emergency- (for about 85 percent ofthe charge For many health care providers, they ‘eenerally make about half a physician oom PA. $112,000). But when a PA. performs a procedure, insurance companies reimburse the ci ‘posed t Ub percent for an M.D. Ms, Pagel said these numbers are similar nationwide, The diference is made up with higher paint ‘volume. “Wha RAccomes into a practice” she sid, PA. pragrams re ices amet Flora Tb is ons of 25 suet ‘Bono Univers’ pepram; 10229 Ys yale Vavanned a dacttyS) seerere Ah hips wwe com/2014/080aeducatlonesifatnephysionassstant.wihsoo you. 2azote ‘Tho PryicianAsstan Wil See You The Now York Tenas salt “ tthe Cleveland Cnc, PA. assist in ll disciplines of medicin 1d have been heavily integrated into the emergency ‘epartment to improve patient flow, Incoming pants are io funni ugenteases strokes, heat attacks) to an M.D. ndmanagenonsurgen(cases (car infections, sprained ankles) themselves. Pp anny Sieh? ‘Lynn Paglacco, the clinics PA, manager for emergency services, described her work with physician as “very collaborative: “If somebody comes in with simple toothache, we ean manage that on Our own,” she sald, “But they have aToothache and a high fever and their whole faces swoen, we have the doc come ove and take a peck." a 1 PAINE UHC Since instituting the @SREBEEY stem, wal Utias decreased by two hours onaverage. Surveys show that patient satistetion has increased, and reviews indicate no rise in misdiagnoses or malpractice suits, according to Dz Stephen Meldon, emergency department director atthe clinic's main campus. nd surge ‘But not all patients embrace physician assistants. According to a national survey lst yearby the American Academy of Family Physicians, 7 pareent OF AmericinS rer plains fr information related o their medical care, viewing them as more knowledgeable pee LoL AGL WHE acetal ¢ caged ‘Some doctors worry that patients are getting short shrift as the bottom line pushes physicians out of the examination room. Dr. Prakash Masand, a psychiatrist in New York City and C.E.0of Global Medical Education, an online medica education resource is artic of their increasing role in mental health care while receiving only 6 to 12 weeks of psychiatric training in sehoo, “This i one ofthe reasons smisdiagnoses, underdiagnoses and the over-prescrption of antidepressants have fleoded the mental health system he said. Until PAS receive more specialized traning, they st oo SMAAK Kahl i ‘uch concerns are echoed for other fils. Dr. Houtan Chaboki aplastic surgeon in Washington D.C, points 0 growing trend of Botox injections and laser treatments being performed by physician assistants “They might be under physician supervision, but the physicia ‘may not even be in the room,” he sai. "They may ust be reviewing the chart afterward” “Training should keep PA strom overreaching, said Mary Warne, director of Boston University’s programs. “PA.sknov what they can do she sai. “TEV IROW thei limits. And I think Ete Safety factor hing twotain rather than one, really impro ‘Studies have found that including physician assistants on health care teams can shorten hospital stays and decrease postoperative ‘complications, among oer improvements in cae Like itor not, meineisnawalléain shor, observes Dr Red B, Blackwelder, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians {Asis practice moves to team-based care, he may delegate more well-child visits to PA.s or nurse practitioners. He enjoys seeing his healthy patients, he sai, “but the paperwork takes a lat of time — asa physician, my time may be better spent with a patient who is critically Il” And he can stl keep his relationship wit te healthier children, he said “by a quick visit atthe end” We've all challenged to recogni some new truths” he sid “Iwas solo family physician in a small own called Trenton, Ga, and there's badge of honor about that But the reality i that noone in our current health careaytemisrulygolo or truly independent any Gis sacs soos ecb ined alaoeiccany ones uieaseneaa i ly Wealth cart nil VA (oltonovar™t a ena ners seman aN Boneasratenistelbe-physian seis s00 yeu Hint 22