Pa Profession Into Their Health Care System example essay topic

The Physician-Assistant (PA) profession has continued to expand since its establishment in the 1970's where it is now highly respected in the United States as a health care occupation. Now the profession has taken another step is moving beyond US borders and into various countries around the globe. The PA profession is certainly globalizing and moving further into various health care systems. The idea is being modified and adapted to fit into the health care systems of numerous countries.

There many reasons for why countries around the world are looking into this profession, which will be addressed and certain countries will be examined as to why they are seeking to implement the PA profession into their health care system. PAs are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision where they conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and in most states can write prescriptions. The first PA program began at Duke University in 1965. The visionary and founder of this program was Dr. Eugene A. Stead, Sr. He envisioned this profession because he wanted a trained health care worker who would take some of the more tedious tasks that the physician had to do. Another pioneer of this profession was Dr. Richard Smith, founder of the MEDEX program at the University of Washington. These two men could not have fully envisioned the success of this profession There are many reasons for which the PA concept is spreading to countries around the world.

The first factor contributing to the awareness of the PA profession internationally is that they are highly recommended by foreign physicians who work alongside them while training here in the United States. Thus, after these physicians have been exposed to the vital role PAs play in the US health care system, they have been compelled to implement the idea into their health care system. Also, the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), the only national professional society to represent all physician assistants in every area of medicine has been striving to spread the awareness of the PA profession past the North American continent through various ways. For example, Ellen Butler, the AAPA assistant director of leadership activities and international affairs, is currently developing a database, which would increase the knowledge of responsibilities and roles of PAs in other countries. The AAPA has been working alongside the Global Health Council, the world's largest membership affiliation whose prime focus is to improve health care throughout the world. By joining this organization the AAPA has been able to create a PA profile for international agencies and health care organizations.

The concept of the PA may sound appealing to other countries, where a shortage of doctors has been an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed. For example, physician shortages in Western European countries such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have begun to explore the PA model as a solution to this problem. A PA program was recently developed at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It is a three-year program, which was started in October 2001, where the first class had five students concentrating in cardio thoracic surgery.

Another PA program is being created at the University of Arnhem-Nijmegen and hopes to enroll its first class in 2003. The PA model has actually been integrated into the Canadian health care system since 1992. Since World War II PA's have worked in the Canadian military, where they continue to provide health care for their armed forces. The PA model is not fully established in the civilian sector of Canada; the Canadian Medical Association must first approve the model before it is integrated.

However, Canada suffers from a shortage of medical providers and is on its way to implement it into their health care system. In England the health care practitioner (HCP), which is not an exact translation of the US Physician Assistant is used; the HCP are individuals who use medical, nursing, and other skills to care for patients. However, recently England has started a pilot program, which will be observed and evaluated by the British government. Christine Kurczaba and Rachel Catanzaro, two American PA's, will be working in two areas of West Midlands. They will be licensed as paramedics, but will practice as American-style PAs.

If they are successful the PA system may be eventually incorporated into the England health care system. This may be the answer to their health provider shortage problem. It is clear that the concept of PA is gaining both awareness and interest in different parts of the globe. Various counties are suffering from physician shortages and it seems as the best solution. However, much opposition is anticipated. For example the British nursing journals believe that the solution to the doctor shortage is to expand the role of nurses as opposed to introducing PA to the health care system.

Also, physicians across the world want to see evidence of the cost-effectiveness of PA and their competence in hospitals. They want to be assured that patients will accept their medical services and will have no problem being treated by a PA. Despite the opposition in expanding the PA concept to other countries, the profession has been working well in the United States for the last 35 years; the demand for PAs continues to rise all across America. The outlook on the profession for the next decade looks bright, where there are increasing opportunities in the United States and hopefully all around the world. Different aspects of the PA profession will be incorporated into different health care systems around the world to provide a solution to their provider shortage predicaments. The PA model will be modified to address the different problems facing each country, where the American PA profession should be apt and ready to help these countries solve their problems; as the professions continues to grow and globalize, American PAs should be ready to respond to the increased international awareness because its future holds no boundaries.

The PA profession has certainly come a long way from when it was initially started and will continue to grow and develop. The Globalization of the PA Profession The PA profession is gradually globalizing due to the various impending new outlooks, such as a foreseen shortage of doctors. This profession has the potential to move in other directions such as surgery and medical subspecialties. A major factor that contributes for this profession to move beyond North America is that they are highly recommended by foreign physicians who work alongside them while training here in the United States. Lastly, after almost four decades, Pas have established themselves to be an important part of the United States health care system.

There two men could not have fully envisioned the success of this profession. There are various factors that we " ll eventually contribute to Pas delineating from primary care to surgery and medical subspecialties. A major reason is inevitable changes in graduate medical education, which the American Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) wants to put limitations on resident work hours and a constant demand for higher salaries. There are various factors that will eventually contribute to Pas delineating from primary care to surgery and medical subspecialties. A major reason is that residencies may need to downsize in the near future because the American Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) wants to put limitation on resident work hours, and a lawsuit against the residency match program demanding a higher salary has a part. Also, changes in the medical reimbursement levels that will lower the revenues of the academic health care centers.

There will also be a shortage in the... needed to take care of the elderly, which will be in great demand. The role of blue PAs in this scenario dealing with the elderly is that they will team with clinical pharmacists.