scholarly journals Physician assistants in geriatric medical care

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Kozikowski ◽  
Trenton Honda ◽  
Freddi Segal-Gidan ◽  
Roderick S. Hooker

Abstract Background The US population is maturing. As of 2020, over 52 million (16%) people are age 65 or older. With a citizenry that is increasingly “gray,” the nation is short of medical providers who specialize in geriatric medical care. For example, the number of geriatrician physicians per 10,000 adults 65 years and older has decreased since 2000, with approximately 5300 in 2018. Nurse practitioners in geriatric medical care numbered 598 in 2018. Considering that the projected needs by 2030 will be over 30,000, the trajectory of geriatricians is becoming increasingly inadequate for the aging population. Physician assistants (PA) are another class of providers that are filling this geriatric medical care role, although little has been published. To address this role of PAs a study was undertaken. Methods The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants databank provided the number and characteristics of PAs in geriatric medicine and compared them to all other certified PAs. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Chi-Square, and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests for comparisons between PAs practicing in geriatric medical care vs. all other PA specialties. Where a comparison between PAs in geriatrics and other specialties was made, a P value of .05 or less was considered statistically significant. Results As of 2018, there were 794 certified PAs, or 0.8% of the certified PA workforce, in geriatric medical care. This cadre has grown significantly since 2013, both in total number (increasing over 373%) and as a percentage of the PA workforce. The median age of certified PAs in geriatrics is 45 years, and 79% are female. Almost half (46%) of PAs in geriatric medicine work in extended care facilities or nursing homes, which differs from PAs in non-geriatric care. Another 8% work in government facilities and 8% in rehabilitation facilities. In 2018, the mean annual income for this PA group was $106,680. Conclusions As the American population continues to age, the relative growth of PAs in geriatric medicine makes them a natural part of the solution to the projected physician geriatrician deficit. The role of PAs in geriatric medical care remains to be explored.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Kozikowski ◽  
Trenton J. Honda ◽  
Freddi Segal-Gidan ◽  
Roderick Hooker

Abstract Background: The US population is maturing. As of 2020, over 52 million (16%) people are age 65 or older. With a citizenry that is increasingly "gray," the nation is short of medical providers who specialize in geriatric medical care. For example, the number of geriatrician physicians per 10,000 adults 65 years and older has decreased since 2000, with approximately 5,300 in 2018. Nurse practitioners in geriatric medical care numbered 598 in 2018. Considering that the projected needs by 2030 will be over 30,000, the trajectory of geriatricians is becoming increasingly inadequate for the aging population. Physician assistants (PA) are another class of providers that are filling this geriatric medical care role, although little has been published. To address this role of PAs a study was undertaken. Methods: The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants databank provided the number and characteristics of PAs in geriatric medicine and compared them to all other certified PAs. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Chi-Square, and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests for comparisons between PAs practicing in geriatric medical care vs. all other specialties. Where a comparison between PAs in geriatrics and other specialties was made, a P value of .05 or less was considered statistically significant. Results: As of 2018, there were 794 certified PAs, or 0.8% of the certified PA workforce, in geriatric medical care. This cadre has grown significantly since 2013, both in total number (increasing over 373%) and as a percentage of the PA workforce. The median age of certified PAs in geriatrics is 45 years, and 79% are female. Almost half (46%) of PAs in geriatric medicine work in extended care facilities or nursing homes, which differs from PAs in non-geriatrics care. Another 8% work in government facilities and 8% in rehabilitation facilities. In 2018, the mean annual income for this PA group was $106,680. Conclusions: As the American population continues to age, the relative growth of PAs in geriatric medicine makes them a natural part of the solution to the projected physician geriatrician deficit. The role of PAs in geriatric medical care remains to be explored.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trenton J. Honda ◽  
Andrzej Kozikowski ◽  
Freddi Segal-Gidan ◽  
Roderick Hooker

Abstract Background: The US population is maturing. As of 2020, over 16% (52 million people) are age 65 or older. With a citizenry that is increasingly "gray," the nation is short of medical providers who specialize in geriatric medical care. For example, the number of geriatrician physicians per 10,000 adults 65 years and older has decreased since 2000, with approximately 5,300 in 2018. Nurse practitioners in geriatric medical care numbered 598 in 2018. Considering that the projected needs by 2030 will be over 30,000, the trajectory of geriatricians is becoming increasingly inadequate for the aging population. Physician assistants (PA) are another class of providers that are filling this geriatric medical care role, although little has been published. To address this role of PAs a study was undertaken. Methods: The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants databank provided the number and characteristics of PAs in geriatric medicine and compared them to all other certified PAs. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Chi-Square, and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests for comparisons between PAs practicing in geriatric medical care vs. all other specialties. Where a comparison between PAs in geriatrics and other specialties was made, a P value of .05 or less was considered statistically significant. Results: As of 2018, there were 794 certified PAs, or 0.8% of the certified PA workforce, in geriatric medical care. This cadre has grown significantly since 2013, both in total number (increasing over 373%) and as a percentage of the PA workforce. The median age of certified PAs in geriatrics is 45 years, and 79% are female. Almost half (46%) of PAs in geriatric medicine work in extended care facilities or nursing homes, which differs from PAs in non-geriatrics care. Another 8% work in government facilities and 8% in rehabilitation facilities. In 2018, the mean annual income for this PA group was $106,680. Conclusions: As the American population continues to age, the relative growth of PAs in geriatric medicine makes them a natural part of the solution to the projected physician geriatrician deficit. The role of PAs in geriatric medical care remains to be explored.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trenton J. Honda ◽  
Andrzej Kozikowski ◽  
Freddi Segal-Gidan ◽  
Roderick Hooker

Abstract Background The US population is aging. As of 2020, over 16% of adults, or over 52 million people, are age 65 or older. With a population that is increasingly "gray," the nation is short of medical providers who specialize in geriatrics. The number of geriatrician physicians per 10,000 adults 65 years and older has decreased since 2000, and geriatricians were approximately 5,300 in 2018. Nurse practitioners in geriatric care are an order of magnitude smaller, numbering 598 in 2018. Considering that the projected geriatrician needs by 2030 will be over 30,000, the trajectory of geriatricians is becoming increasingly inadequate for the aging population. Physician assistants (PA) are another class of providers that are filling this need, although little is known about their distribution in geriatric patient care. Methods The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants databank provided the number and characteristics of PAs in geriatric medicine. PAs in geriatrics, their distribution, income, was compared to certified PAs. Analysis included descriptive statistics, Chi-Square and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests for comparisons between PAs practicing in geriatrics vs. all other clinical specialties. For all analyses where a comparison between PAs in geriatrics and other specialties was made, a P value of .05 or less was considered statistically significant. Statistical analyses were conducted using R Results As of 2018, there were 794 certified PAs, or 0.8% of the PA workforce, specifically in geriatrics. This cadre has grown significantly 2010 both in total number (increasing over 400%) and as a percentage of the PA workforce. The median age of PAs in geriatrics is 45 years, and 79% are female. Almost half (46%) of the PA geriatric workforce are in extended care facilities or nursing homes - which differs from PAs in non-geriatric medicine specialties (0.3%). Another 8% work in federal government facilities with an additional 8% in rehabilitation facilities. In 2018, the median annual income for this PA cadre was $106,680. Conclusions As the American population continues to age, the relative growth of PAs in geriatric medicine makes them a natural part of the solution to the projected physician geriatrician deficit.


Author(s):  
Michael H. Wall

The purpose of this chapter is to emphasize and describe the team nature of critical care medicine in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit. The chapter will review the importance of various team members and discuss various staffing models (open vs closed, high intensity vs low intensity, etc.) on patient outcomes and cost. The chapter will also examine the roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants (NP/PAs) in critical care, and will briefly review the growing role of the tele-ICU. Most studies support the concept that a multi-disciplinary ICU team, led by an intensivist, improves patient outcomes and decreases overall cost of care. The role of the tele-ICU and 24 hour in-house intensivist staffing in improving outcomes is controversial, and more research is needed in this area. Finally, a brief discussion of billing for critical care will be discussed.


Oncology ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 709-727
Author(s):  
Michael H. Wall

The purpose of this chapter is to emphasize and describe the team nature of critical care medicine in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit. The chapter will review the importance of various team members and discuss various staffing models (open vs closed, high intensity vs low intensity, etc.) on patient outcomes and cost. The chapter will also examine the roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants (NP/PAs) in critical care, and will briefly review the growing role of the tele-ICU. Most studies support the concept that a multi-disciplinary ICU team, led by an intensivist, improves patient outcomes and decreases overall cost of care. The role of the tele-ICU and 24 hour in-house intensivist staffing in improving outcomes is controversial, and more research is needed in this area. Finally, a brief discussion of billing for critical care will be discussed.


Author(s):  
Jamie Cairo ◽  
Mary Ann Muzi ◽  
Deanna Ficke ◽  
Shaunta Ford-Pierce ◽  
Katrina Goetzke ◽  
...  

According to ASCO, the number of practicing oncologists has remained stable despite growth demands, leading to an overall shortage in many areas of the country. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are advanced practice providers (APPs) who can assist in the provision of support and care to patients with cancer, but the role of the APP in the oncology setting has not been well defined. There exists a variety of different practice patterns for APPs who work in oncology, and the lack of role definition and absence of an established practice model are considered leading causes of APP attrition. According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, it has been well demonstrated that, when nurse practitioners are allowed to work to the full scope of their education and preparation, there are notable cost reductions and quality improvements in patient care. The focus of APP education and training is on health promotion, disease prevention, and primary care medical management, but most APPs have limited exposure to management of cancer in patients. With this in mind, Aurora Cancer Care developed a practice model for APPs who work in oncology. The goal of the model is to enhance the quality of care delivered to patients and provide a stimulating work environment that fosters excellent collaborative relationships with oncologist colleagues, supports professional growth, and allows APPs to practice to the full extent of their licensure.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. e035414
Author(s):  
Shahpar Najmabadi ◽  
Trenton J Honda ◽  
Roderick S Hooker

ObjectivePractice arrangements in physician offices were characterised by examining the share of visits that involved physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs). The hypothesis was that collaborative practice (ie, care delivered by a dyad of physician-PA and/or physician-NP) was increasing.DesignTemporal ecological study.SettingNon-federal physician offices.ParticipantsPatient visits to a physician, PA or NP, spanning years 2007–2016.MethodsA stratified random sample of visits to office-based physicians was pooled through the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey public use linkage file. Among 317 674 visits to physicians, PAs or NPs, solo and collaborative practices were described and compared over two timespans of 2007–2011 and 2012–2016. Weighted patient visits were aggregated in bivariate analyses to achieve nationally representative estimates. Survey statistics assessed patient demographic characteristics, reason for visit and visit specialty by provider type.ResultsWithin years 2007–2011 and 2012–2016, there were 4.4 billion and 4.1 billion physician office visits (POVs), respectively. Comparing the two timespans, the rate of POVs with a solo PA (0.43% vs 0.21%) or NP (0.31% vs 0.17%) decreased. Rate of POVs with a collaborative physician-PA increased non-significantly. Rate of POVs with a collaborative physician-NP (0.49% vs 0.97%, p<0.01) increased. Overall, collaborative practice, in particular physician-NP, has increased in recent years (p<0.01), while visits handled by a solo PA or NP decreased (p<0.01). In models adjusted for patient age and chronic conditions, the odds of collaborative practice in years 2012–2016 compared with years 2007–2011 was 35% higher (95% CI 1.01 to 1.79). Furthermore, in 2012–2016, NPs provided more independent primary care, and PAs provided more independent care in a non-primary care medical specialty. Preventive visits declined among all providers.ConclusionsIn non-federal physician offices, collaborative care with a physician-PA or physician-NP appears to be a growing part of office-based healthcare delivery.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Stacy J Fisher

Background/aims Little is known regarding the impact that physiotherapists can have on patients in the emergency department. A study was carried out to explore attitudes of physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners in emergency departments about physiotherapists being staffed full-time to assist with patient care. It also aimed to investigate whether physiotherapists should be staffed in emergency departments, what they are capable of doing in an emergency department and identify areas where physiotherapists are most useful in emergency departments in the USA. Methods This sequential mixed method study examined the perceptions and recommendations of emergency medicine practitioners regarding physiotherapists' services in the emergency department. Phase one analysed geographical data. Phase two analysed qualitative components of the survey. Frequencies were analysed and either Fisher's exact or Chi-square tests used to analyse the findings. Participants included physician assistants, nurse practitioners and physicians in emergency departments in the USA. Results A statistically significant association was shown between the geographic region and whether or not physiotherapists were staffed within the emergency departments in states outside the western region. Additionally, 97% of qualified participants reported positive experiences working with physiotherapists regularly. Conclusions Physiotherapists should be used for the specialisation and knowledge they have. More education is needed in emergency departments around the USA to understand what a physiotherapist can offer and how this reduces unnecessary hospital admission. Physiotherapists working in the emergency department can ultimately reduce costs for hospitals.


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