Benefits of Hiring a Physician Assistant
The demand for Physician Assistants (PAs) is steadily increasing in Canada, and it's no surprise why.
PAs are skilled professionals who have the expertise to work as physician extenders, deliver high-quality patient care. They work collaboratively with supervising physicians to enhance patient care and optimize practice efficiency.
This article focuses primarily on benefits of hiring a PA from the perspective of a practice/physician employer rather than from a systemic perspective.
Adding a PA to a practice or department is like having a force multiplier.
PAs can help amplify and enhance the capabilities of your healthcare team’s ability to provide patient care.
A few of these benefits include:
Increased capacity to see more patients
Increased continuity of care
Decreased wait times
In a family practice setting: Increased availability of same-day or next-day appointments, decreasing likelihood of patients seeing care at walk-ins or emergency services
Decreased length of stay
Improved Discharge Rates
Reduced resident and physician workload
Increased productivity (number of procedures)
I. PAs help expand the capacity to see more patients
Adding PAs can significantly expand a practice’s capacity to provide quality heath care to a larger number of patients without diminishing the time or quality spent with a qualified health care provider
How? PAs are skilled professionals who can handle a wide range of medical tasks, with the supervising physician and PA(s) seeing patients simultaneously,
This expanded capacity means that more patients can be seen, diagnosed, and treated within a given time frame, increasing the overall efficiency and productivity of the practice.
With the addition of a PA, the workload can be distributed more evenly, alleviating the pressure on the supervising physician and help decrease physician burnout.
This can free up physician time to:
focus on more complex cases or special needs of the practice
spend more time for personal pursuits and time with family.
spend time pursuing research, academic or teaching endeavours
II. PAs bring their own skills and expertise to enhance patient care
PAs also bring their own unique set of skills and expertise to the table to the benefit of the patients in the practice/department. Their comprehensive training allows them to perform various medical procedures, diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and provide preventive care.
PAs can perform:
Patient Assessment and Diagnosis: PAs are trained to conduct comprehensive patient assessments, including taking medical histories, performing physical examinations, and ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests. They can diagnose common medical conditions, identify abnormalities, and develop treatment plans under the supervision of a licensed physician.
Treatment and Procedures: PAs can provide a wide array of treatments and procedures within their scope of practice. This may include prescribing medications, administering injections (joint, soft tissue, vaccinations), aspirations, biopsies, casting/splinting, suturing wounds, providing wound care, performing minor surgical procedures, and surgical first assist.
Patient Education and Counseling: PAs can provide information on health conditions, preventive care measures, and lifestyle modifications. PAs also offer guidance on managing chronic diseases, medication adherence, and promoting overall wellness. They collaborate with patients to develop individualized care plans and empower them to make informed decisions about their health.
Care Coordination and Follow-Up: PAs are involved in coordinating patient care and ensuring continuity throughout the healthcare journey. They collaborate with other healthcare professionals, such as nurses, specialists, and allied health providers, to facilitate seamless care transitions. PAs also conduct follow-up visits, monitor treatment progress, and adjust care plans as necessary.
Other delegated tasks include:
Triaging incoming referrals
Teaching/Orientation of medical learners (e.g. PA students, medical students, residents, fellows, observers)
Facilitating referrals to other specialists
Coordinating care
Patient care navigation
Assist in completing work/school/insurance forms and medical-legal forms
Quality Improvement (QI) intiatives
Research/Clinical Studies
Patient Education
Follow-up on lab results
Family Meetings
This diverse skill set complements the abilities of the supervising physician, allowing the practice to tackle a broader range of patient needs, resulting in better outcomes and a higher level of care.
III. PAs enhance patient access to timely care
Adding a PA to a practice enhances access to a qualified health care provider who has a comprehensive understanding of the patient’s medical history, ongoing treatments and personalized treatment plans.
This is especially true if the physician is not immediately available or has limited time (e.g. in the operating room, with a patient, in a meeting, etc.).
PAs can increase accessibility to care in the following ways:
Approachability: PAs are known for their approachability and patient-centered approach. They often spend more time with patients, allowing for a deeper understanding of their concerns and questions. PAs are typically accessible and readily available to address patient queries, providing a welcoming environment for open communication.
Continuity of Care: PAs to provide accurate and timely answers to questions, as they are intimately familiar with the patient's healthcare journey. For example:
Input missing orders in the EMR
Completing Admission Orders, Discharge Summaries, Perioperative Orders, or requests for Consultations
Addressing calls from inpatient floors/ward management
Facilitate specialist referrals or transitions of care (e.g. from inpatient hospital to a rehab facility).
Collaborative Approach: PAs work in collaboration with supervising physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. They may reach out to other members of the health care team to coordinate care, answer questions from other specialists or allied health providers, as well as participate in interdisciplinary rounds and family meetings.
Timely Accessibility: With their expanded role and responsibilities, PAs often provide timely access to healthcare services. They can accommodate same-day or next-day appointments, which can be particularly helpful for patients with urgent questions or concerns. PAs also facilitate communication between patients and the healthcare team, ensuring that questions are addressed promptly and efficiently.
Follow-up and post-visit support: They can provide clarification on any questions that may arise after a patient's visit, ensuring that they have a clear understanding of their treatment plans and any necessary follow-up steps. PAs are dedicated to ensuring that patients feel supported and informed throughout their healthcare journey.
Final notes
Benefits of integrating a PA into a practice/department include expanding a practice’s capacity to see more patients, improved work life balance, enhancing accessibility to timely care, improvnig patient flow and ensuring continuity of care, and fostering effective collaboration.
Their contributions allow the entire healthcare team to work together more efficiently, reducing bottlenecks, improving productivity, and ultimately enhancing the patient experience.
