The purpose of this study is to examine the cost effectiveness of mid level providers, such as physician assistants, compared to physicians. In order to thoroughly evaluate the difference in cost one must look at more than one aspect of the physician assistant versus the classic physician. From a purely economic standpoint one needs to address the cost of education, differences in the way patients are treated based on the kind of medicine practiced and the cost of employment between physician assistants and traditional physicians.
For example, some schools of thought suggest that a physician assistant may order more unnecessary tests than a physician because they are not trained well enough to know what is and is not important (Hooker, 2002). However, because many physician assistants already have training in one of the allied health fields, such as nursing, the argument can be made that the lack of additional schooling is cancelled out by the prior work experience.
In addition to the large salary differences between physician assistants and physicians the cost effectiveness, when including healthcare reform, could be astronomical due to the influx of new patients covered by health insurance.
By examining the cost effectiveness of physician assistants compared to Physicians potential healthcare employers may be able to make better economic decisions by the staffing of mid level providers versus traditional physicians. Because four physician assistants can be staffed per physician one can see the potential savings from an employer’s perspective, taking into consideration the growing workload and demand for mid level providers (Halter, 2013).
Review of Literature
The yearly cost of physician assistant school is comparable ...
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... E. (2007). Academic medicine. Physician assistant education in the United States. Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/Abstract/2007/09000/Physician Assistant Education in the United States.14.aspx
McKibbin, R. C. (1997). Cost-effectiveness of physician assistants: a review of recent evidence. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health , 8(2), 110-5. doi:10314426 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Roblin, D., Howard, D., Becker, E., Adams, E., & Roberts, M. (2004). Use of midlevel practitioners to achieve labor cost savings in the primary care practice of an MCO. Health Services Research, 39(3), 607-625.
Travis, S. (2010, December 15). FAU sets $27,000 tuition, fees for new medical program. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/educationblog/2010/12/fau_sets_27000_tuition_for_new.html
This paper will conduct a cost benefit analysis of the three underlying methods that are either used solely or blended together to pay physicians in Ontario. It will compare and contrast Fee for service, capitation, and salary model. This paper will explore the impact of these models on quality and quantity of the primary health care system.
To me, being a physician assistant means having the knowledge and tools to help those that may not have otherwise receive care. Obtaining a master’s degree in public health while studying to become a physician assistant will provide me with the knowledge and expertise to evaluate how environment can affect a population's well-being. Completing the dual degree allows a better understanding of how the community is affected—not just the individual. By becoming a physician assistant with a strong background in public health, I will be able effect change and be at the forefront of health decisions in a community.
B. Physician assistants have training to care for eight out of ten people who visit
As if Medicare’s declining reimbursements was not a big enough deterrent to lengthier, more satisfying higher-quality visits, Medicare’s reimbursement system actually outright punishes doctors for spending more time with patients. As the length of visit increases, Medicare reimburses physicians marginally less. For example, in the D.C. metro area, Medicare reimburses physicians $47.53 for a 10-minute follow up visit (CPT 99212), but only $154.76 for a comparable 40-minute visit (CPT 99215). Financially, doctors are better off taking care of four established patients in a 40-minute block as opposed to seeing one patient for 40 minutes. This puts additional pressure on physicians to see more patients in less time, with job satisfaction
The number of doctors that present in the United States of America directly affects the communities that these doctors serve and plays a large role in how the country and its citizens approach health care. The United States experienced a physician surplus in the 1980s, and was affected in several ways after this. However, many experts today have said that there is currently a shortage of physicians in the United States, or, at the very least, that there will be a shortage in the near future. The nation-wide statuses of a physician surplus or shortage have many implications, some of which are quite detrimental to society. However, there are certain remedies that can be implemented in order to attempt to rectify the problems, or alleviate some of their symptoms.
The concept of PAs arose in the 1960s however throughout the early twentieth century doctors commonly had assistants. For centuries, people without medical school training and who were not fully trained doctors, were essential to the provision of healthcare. During the 1930s a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, by the name of George Crile, had one of the earliest examples of a Physician Assistant. This associate, an informally trained surgical and urology specialist, came to be nicknamed the “world’s first PA”(hooker 18). Furthermore, this assistant became the prototype for today’s urology PA. Another model for the Physician Assistant today went by the name of Vivian Thomas. For years Vivian worked at the right hand of Hopkins surgeon, Alfred
O’Brian, J. M., (2003). How Nurse Practitioners obtained provider status: History of nurse practitioners. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 60(22). Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/464663_2
Physician assistants (PAs) do many tasks and work in various medically influenced settings. PAs can prescribe medications but may need a physician’s opinion beforehand. They may give treatment in the care of broken bones and administer immunizations. A PA also has to educate patients and family members on how to care for a condition that affects them or the members of their families, such as an asthmatic child (“Physician Assistants.” U.S.). Giving lab tests and taking blood samples are also a part of a PAs job duties. They must record the medical history of the patient. A PA may assist a physician/surgeon in a surgery (“Physician Assistant.” Encyclopedia 14).
Physicians hold responsibilities to their personal patients, but also responsibilities to the patient populations for whom they are held accountable (Rhodes, Francis & Silvers, 2007). Additionally, they are expected to advance and support the growth of medical science. Nevertheless, the most recent criticism has been accorded to the allocation of resources. As much as physicians are appropriate or designated communal resource custodians, they need to be conscious of the quality or cost of medical care. The American healthcare system is badly broken, we are in the grip of a very bid industry that will never stop making money. The healthcare aspect of today economy depends on the financial aspect. You cannot get or receive medical care without insurance. Some people are offered free healthcare which tax payers pay for. This help people who or poor, low income or middle class however. I will write about why the healthcare industry is such a financial burden to poor, middle class and pre-condition people. How the medical industry charge $1,500 for 5 minutes for someone to put a needle in you but $15 for 45 minutes for someone to exam
An article by Ponte and O’Neill (2013), states that applicants entering a nurse practitioner program must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing along with clinical nursing experience. In comparison, the article states that physician assistant programs encourage an undergraduate education focused on the sciences followed by a two year graduate program. All physician assistants must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination to become certified while nurse practitioners obtain certification in their specialty under state certifying organizations (Ponte & O’Neill, 2013). Salaries for physician assistants and nurse practitioners are comparable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014), the mean annual wage for a physician assistant in the U.S. is $97,280 compared to nurse practitioners average of $97,990 annually. The scope of practice between physician assistants and nurse practitioners is also similar. The article by Ponte and O’Neill (2013), explains that while both physician assistants and nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat patients, their independence varies from state to state. Most physician assistants must be overseen by a physician in their specialty; meanwhile in some states, nurse
In a private practice the physicians look for applicants who have completed their technical certification, so they can have someone with the latest technological experience, and college diplomas. They will most likely specifically train new medical assistants in job duties, and the requirements of their specific practices. For a position in a private practice you can expect to earn anywhere from $17-$18 hourly (par.
The current set up does not give them the rewards they properly deserve. In fact, the prospect of a limited income is completely unavoidable. These medical doctors are also small business owners. First, they invest an enormous amount of money for office space, office equipments, and medical equipments. Second, the additional burden of overhead expenses and personnel salaries will put a dent on their bottom-line. Third, the inescapable specter of malpractice insurance premiums is a necessary evil the...
The balance between quality patient care and medical necessity is a top priority and the main concern of many of the healthcare organizations today. Due to the rising cost of healthcare, there has been a change in the focus of reimbursement strategies that are affecting the delivery of patient care. This shift from a fee-for-service towards a value-based system creates a challenge that has shifted many providers’ focus more directly on their revenue. As a result, organizations are forced to take a hard look at the cost of services they are providing patients and then determining if the services and level of care are appropriate for the prescribed patient care.
I know that by doing my job, no matter how different each patient may be, that I have made a difference in someone’s life. I am very content in my job knowing that there is an increasing need in healthcare. With the demand of healthcare today, there will always be a demand for physicians, and with the need of physicians there will always be a need for medical assistants. In this profession the rewards and opportunities will only continue to grow, and there is not a better place to than here in America, because like Ralph Waldo Emerson (journalist, poet, philosopher, and essayist) once said, “America is another name for
...ch half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,080, and the top 10 percent earned more than $41,570. In conclusion Medical Assistants play a major role in the healthcare environment. They are doctors right hand man/woman and the help keep the office together and run smoothly. Medical Assistants will forever be needed, because every day a child is born and people are getting older. Medical Assistants care and their job is to provide good healthcare to patients.