Nationwide, the medical industry is seeing an increase in the number of PAs and NPs, while the number of MDs is shrinking. Certainly this is a call-to-action for our industry to rethink and restructure the role, compensation and responsibilities of doctors in both primary care and specialty fields. In the meantime, are we fully utilizing the growing workforce of physician assistants and nurse practitioners?

This emerging group of medical providers can be extremely useful in reducing physician workload and filling in gaps for hospitals and medical practices to provide a higher quality of care.

Physician assistants are highly trained and skilled medical providers. They complete their bachelor’s degree and then earn a master’s in physician assistant studies, health or medical science. Nurse practitioners have advanced clinical training and have earned their master’s or doctorate degree.

These providers work under the supervision of and in collaboration with a licensed MD, who is ultimately responsible for patient care.

TinkBird is a recruiting agency for both PAs and NPs. Through our years of recruiting for medical facilities, we have become quite familiar with successful models for utilizing professionals in these roles. Depending on the licensure of the provider, facilities have successfully deployed physician assistants and nurse practitioners for these and other duties:

• New patient intake and initial assessment (medical history, physical exam, ordering labs, etc.)
• Administering medications per the practice’s protocols
• Pre-operative duties, including review of pre-op instructions with the patient and addressing patient questions
• Post-operative duties, including pain management and therapeutic recommendations
• Coordination of total care between primary care, specialists, hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, etc.
• Leading quality of care initiatives (i.e., develop and manage wellness programs, spend quality time with patients, recognize and report on quality gaps, etc.)

Studies show that patients generally appreciate medical teams that include a physician assistant or nurse practitioner. These providers are often able to spend more time with patients, answering their questions and addressing concerns. They can help bring efficiency and better continuity of care.

If your facility isn’t already utilizing PAs or NPs, we can tell you more about how these providers could be additive to your operations. If you employ these providers but aren’t seeing the payoff you expected, give us a call. Perhaps you have the wrong people in place or haven’t matched their skills to best use.

Read more on this topic with advice from Dawn Morton-Rias, president and CEO of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.