Kristin Christoffersen Essays (1261 words) - Health, Medicine

Kristin Christoffersen Health Science pd. 5 10/09/17 Physician Assistant The job of a Physician Assistant was originally created in the mid-1960s, and is meant to address the primary care physician shortage. Physician Assistants represent a versatile component of the healthcare workforce, increasing the efficiency of the healthcare system. The National Commision on Certification of Physician Assistants states "As of today 100,00 certified P.A's work in the U.S. today,"(NCCPA). Physican assistants will provide diagnostic evaluations, therapeutic remediation, surgical assistance, and pharmaceutical prescription. They practice medicine in every setting and in every specialty. On a normal day a physician assistant will have a set of tasks to follow they can vary in size of task and difficulty. For example they would order and interpret tests, take a patient's medical history, counsel patients on preventive care, conduct physical examinations, diagnose and treat illness, write prescriptions, and assist in surgeries. The task will largely depend on the setting in which they work, their experience/level of expertise, their specialty, and the state in which they practice. Physician assistants are known to enhance the coordination of care, improve outcome of patients, and increase patient satisfaction. As well as deliver medical and surgical care, work along physicians, provide medical supervision. All work is oversaw by physician and dictated by state. The states determine the scope of work for a physician assistant. Including their range of medical tasks and their method of supervision. Some states have more explicit rules and regulations. A physician assistant is more likely to see patients in need of physical exams, bychological assessments, laboratory testing, surgical consultations, infectious disease diagnoses. In specialized clinics, physician assistants may provide all of these services along with services that are unique to that medical specialty. Specialty practices in which physician assistants work include: family medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, general surgery, onocology , psychiatry/ mental health, emergency medicine. About one-third of all physician assistants in the U.S. practice in primary care, while about 38% practice in hospital settings and 3% work in a group practice or solo physician's office. The remaining work in community health centers, freestanding surgical facilities, nursing homes school-or college-based facilities, industrial settings, and correctional institutions. The largest employer of physician assistants in the U.S. is the D epartments of Veterans Affairs. On average a physician assistants salary is $99,270 as of 2015. There is a 38% increase in number of employment opportunities through 2022. Physician Assistants are poised to enjoy strong salaries and opportunities for professional advancement, expanded medicine practice, broad and ever-expanding role within a healthcare system. The role of a physician assistant is constantly evolving to face new challenges, physician assistants are able to work in a variety of practice areas and settings. They provide care at a much lower cost than physicians, and often earn between one-third and one-half as much as physicians in the same specialty. The American Academy of Physician Assistants states a physician assistant provides almost the same type of care as a physician. In order to be a physician assistant, one must complete an accredited physician assistant graduate program, recognized by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education. A typical student entering a physical assistant program possesses a bachelor's degree, and at least four years of healthcare experience. On average the graduate physician assistant program is 26 months in duration. All programs award a master's degree. Accredited physician assistant programs consist of classroom, lab instructions and clinical rotations. These programs include 75 hours in pharmacology, 175 hours in behavioral sciences, about 580 hours of clinical medicine and at least 2,000 hours of clinical rotations. Clinical rotations must include work in: family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, general surgery and psychiatry. Graduates of accredited physician assistant programs must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, administrated by the National Commision on Certification of Physician Assistants. A physician assistant must earn state licensure in the state they plan to practice, and must obtain their state licensure and certification. State requirements vary, however certification. All certified physician assistants must pass a recertification examination every 10 years, and must complete at least 100 hours of continuing medical education every 2 years. Physician Assistant must possess a myriad in patient