Physician
Help Thyself
Take Another Look at Physician Assistants

By Larry Rosen, PA-C, Vice President
California Academy of Physician Assistants

A physician from La Jolla raised his hand. “ So, I don’t have to be in the office when you see patients?   Lowering her voice so as not to disturb the speaker, a neurosurgeon wondered, “He’s saying that PAs work in psychiatry? And oncology?”   And “yes” also was the answer to the Santa Monica pediatrician: “If I’m stuck in the clinic, you can round on hospital patients for me?”

he physician assistant profession was conceived by physicians, for
physicians, to extend health care beyond the physical reach of the
medical doctor.

So why has it been such a struggle to get that message across?

Today, 46,000 “PAs” practice medicine in the United States, writing 223 million prescriptions. Millions of dollars are generated annually for physician offices by PA-patient encounters in virtually every medical specialty.

Despite an impressive record, the physician assistant remains a misunderstood, often unfamiliar commodity in the medical community. And, while the physician assistant profession is committed to the practice of team medicine and harbors no ambition for independent practice, we have failed to deliver that message broadly to physicians.

Commonly, we used PAs to deliver the message. Maybe, a different approach was needed. Who better to explain the benefits of the team concept of medical practice than the physicians who embrace it?

We tried it. Four years ago, the Los Angeles Mid-Level Providers (LAMP) in association with California Academy of Physician Assistants (CAPA) asked a group of physicians who work with PAs to talk to an audience of physicians who did not. Team practice with PAs was the theme. Tons of questions were asked and answered. Two hours of Category I CME credits were awarded. The results were promising.

Orange County was next. More than 60 physicians attended. A few weeks later, one newcomer even bought space at the CAPA Palm Springs conference in October and put up a sign, “Wanting to Hire a Physician Assistant.” He did just that.

CAPA hosted three more events in conjunction with county medical societies, one in San Diego with special guest, Jim Hay, M.D. CMA vice speaker, one in Palo Alto with special guest, CMA CEO Jack Lewin, M.D., and another our most recent event in Riverside with CMA President Ronald Bangasser, M.D., in attendance. In all cases, CAPA enjoyed the support and cooperation of each county’s medical society.

Evaluations were laudatory. Physicians were grateful for the education about PAs. They welcomed the CME credits and the opportunity to mingle with colleagues and hear first hand the merits of the physician/physician assistant concept of medical practice.

The events became more diverse. Along with physicians, CAPA invited a handful of physician assistants to represent the variety of specialties in which we practice; neurology, OB-GYN, emergency medicine, dermatology, internal medicine, surgery, and hospitalist care. Our physician partners were learning that family practice is not our only expertise.

In four years, more than 450 California physicians have attended our program: “The Physician-Physician Assistant Team: The Doctor’s Perspective.”

Through these dinner events, misconceptions regarding the PA practice are erased. Supervisory regulations are clarified. Reimbursement issues are explained in detail and simplified. Physicians walk away with a much clearer understanding of the physician assistant profession and why PAs have earned a respected place in California’s health care system.

Physician to physician encounters have proven to be the most effective method of sharing the experience of working with PAs and we are grateful to our supervising physicians for lending their voices and support to our efforts.

Physicians interested in attending “The Physician-Physician Assistant Team: The Doctor’s Perspective” may contact the CAPA office in Santa Ana at 714/427-0321. CAPA will contact you when a dinner event is planned in your area.