Reno, NV, Oct. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, when you “go to the doctor,” it doesn’t always mean you’ll see a physician. Instead, you may find your care in the hands of a few different providers — and for a good reason.
As healthcare continues to evolve, it looks more and more like a team sport. And in the end, that’s better for patients, who benefit from the skills and expertise of the entire healthcare team, including PAs (physician assistants).
PAs are medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and can serve as your principal healthcare provider. You’ll find them in every state, every medical setting, and every specialty. In Nevada, there are close to 1,000 PAs, with many practicing in rural areas.
PAs are a critical to patients’ healthcare, especially in rural areas that have fewer physicians. But right now, some of Nevada’s state laws are creating barriers to care, preventing PAs from doing as much as they can for patients. Requirements in state laws and regulations on how PAs and physicians work together must be modernized so that our state can benefit from the high-quality care that PAs provide.
For example, one PA practicing in Nevada set out to help expand care to underserved communities by opening a rural health clinic located in the vast expanse of frontier Nevada. But one thing is always on the PA’s mind: The 85-year-old physician with whom she has an agreement is required to travel 240 miles round-trip to consult with the PA each month — and is likely close to retirement.
Current PA practice laws in Nevada require PAs to have an agreement with a specific physician in order to practice. Even though the PA can consult and confer with other physicians at the closest hospital as needed, if her physician retired, the PA would have to stop practicing until she could secure an agreement with a new physician — leaving her patients without healthcare. This is just one example of how state laws can hinder patient care.
Another Nevada PA wished to volunteer on his alma mater’s mobile health clinic to provide healthcare to homeless and other underserved populations. However, his work with the clinic was delayed since he needed an agreement with a physician to be eligible to volunteer.
The processes that PAs and their collaborating physicians are required to follow are onerous and unnecessary. For qualified PAs who are able and more than willing to treat patients in need, state laws shouldn’t hold them back.
In fact, a June 2018 study conducted by the Hamilton Project, an economic research group and think tank within the Brookings Institution, concludes that removing barriers to PA care would alleviate healthcare shortages, and would improve efficiency and productivity in the delivery of healthcare — all with no adverse effects on patient outcomes.
Across Nevada, rural areas and medically underserved communities need more easily-accessible providers. In the end, it’s really patients who lose when state laws and regulations get in the way.
Demand for PAs is high—the profession is expected to grow 37 percent by 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. More and more students are choosing the PA profession, and in underserved areas and communities with limited access to healthcare, that influx of PAs can help to fill the gap.
“We need an environment that allows PAs and physicians to make their own decisions about how they can work together for their patients, rather than following an outdated rulebook,” said Brian Sady, DMSc, PA-C, president of the Nevada Academy of PAs. “It’s time to modernize PA practice in Nevada.”
Despite these challenges, there are still many things your PA can do for you. With demand for appointments at an all-time high and a nationwide physician shortage, some practices have long wait times. PAs can make it easier to get an appointment, and PAs in Nevada complete an average of 140 patient visits per week. PAs have thousands of hours of medical training and work collaboratively with physicians, so you can always trust that you’ll receive high-quality care from your PA.
While PAs’ specific duties depend on where they work, their experience, their specialty, and specific state laws, PAs generally perform most of the same tasks as the physicians they work with.
Plus, PAs are trained as medical generalists — they’re trained to treat the “whole patient,” rather than just one specialty area. That means that a PA can help you with other medical issues you might be having, even outside of the reason for your appointment. For example, during an appointment to discuss a heart issue with the PA at your cardiology practice, she’s likely to ask about the skin condition on your arm. Then, she can either treat it directly or provide a referral to a dermatology practice.
Versatile and collaborative, PAs can benefit patients all across Nevada. Whether you live in a rural, urban, or suburban area, your PA can provide you with high-quality medical care.
To learn more about PAs in Nevada, visit NevadaPA.com.
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