Medical Community Honors Physician Assistants With National PA Week

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 10 Nov 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Outside the medical industry Physician Assistants may not receive the recognition they deserve by the general public, but the contributions of nearly 80,000 PAs in the United States on a daily basis are invaluable. National PA Week was established to raise awareness of the important role PAs play that often goes unnoticed.

A valuable asset to the medical community, PAs work side-by-side with physicians, enhancing the quality of care the patient receives. In many cases, PAs will see the same types of patients a physician sees, and in most cases is able to spend more time with individual patients. While a physician may handle the more complex or critical cases, PAs have the extensive education and experience necessary to, at the direction of the physician, help alleviate the increasingly growing patient volume that taxes our health care system.

With health care reform taking center stage during the ongoing presidential race, it may never be a better time to recognize the value and impact PAs can have on the medical industry in not only providing quality care, but reducing costs. Studies have shown that PAs save as much as 20 percent of the costs of medical care while performing 80 percent of the functions in an ambulatory care practice.

Their tireless work was recently recognized by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano who signed a proclamation establishing October 6-12, 2008 National Physician Assistants Week. The proclamation said in part:

"Where as the physician assistants and the public of Arizona and throughout this great land will celebrate October 6th through the 12th as National PA Week, and that the members of the profession deserve our heartfelt thanks for their hard work and contributions to medicine."

"I think PAs have been caring for patients from all walks of life, in all areas of medicine," said Michele DiBaise, President of the Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants (ASAPA). "This recognition will help the profession grow in the public's conscience, and help people realize that we can be an answer to America's health crisis."

Physician Assistant Geoffrey Hoffa, who also serves as the Chairman of the Public Relations Committee of ASAPA, was present at the signing of the proclamation.

"Thousands of Physician Assistants work tirelessly in the health care industry in relative obscurity," Hoffa said. "I want to thank Governor Napolitano for her recognition of our contributions and hard work. I believe that our profession will play a key role in our country achieving true health care reform."

Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants (ASAPA) mission is to promote the professional and personal development of Physician Assistants and quality health care. ASAPA is focused to provide a dynamic and professional organization that is working hard for all Arizona Physician Assistants. To learn more, please visit ASAPA at http://www.asapa.org or by phone at 800-595-6721.

Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants